Biography of colin luther powell full name

He was the first African American appointed to that position. He was raised in the South Bronx and educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from Morris High School in without any definite plans for where he wanted to go in life.

10 interesting facts about colin powell

He soon became commander of his unit. This experience set him on a military career and gave him structure and direction in his life. After graduation in , Powell was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U. The couple has three children: son Michael, and daughters Linda and Annemarie. In , Powell was wounded by a punji-stick booby trap while patrolling the Vietnamese-Laotian border.

During this first tour of duty, he was awarded a Purple Heart and, a year later, a Bronze Star. While on his second Vietnam tour of duty from to , the year-old Army major was given the assignment of investigating the My Lai massacre. In this incident, more than civilians were killed by U. Army forces. Powell's report seemed to refute the allegations of wrongdoing and stated, "Relations between American soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent.

Despite his injury, he managed to rescue his comrades from the burning helicopter, for which he was awarded the Soldier's Medal. In all, Powell has received 11 military decorations, including the Legion of Merit. He was assigned to the Office of Management and Budget during the Nixon administration and made a lasting impression on Caspar Weinberger and Frank Carlucci.

Both men would consult Powell for advice when they served as secretary of defense and national security adviser, respectively, in the Reagan administration.