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                                  EXHIBIT 24



                         MONGOMERY WARD HOLDING CORP.
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned directors
and/or officers of Montgomery Ward Holding Corp., a Delaware corporation, hereby
constitutes and appoints SPENCER H. HEINE, THOMAS J. PAUP AND PHILIP D. DELK,
his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents to execute in his or her
name and capacity the 1998 Annual Report on Form 10-K of this Corporation and
any amendments to such annual report, with all exhibits thereto, and any and all
documents in connection therewith pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each of them with full power to act without the
others.

     AND FURTHER, that each of the undersigned directors and/or officers of the
Corporation hereby grants to said attorneys-in-fact and agents and each of them,
full power and authority to do and perform any and all acts and things essential
and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he or she might or could do in person in connection with the proper
exercise of the powers granted hereunder.
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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned as directors and/or officers of said
Montgomery Ward Holding Corp. or as individuals, have hereunto set their hands
and seals as of this ____ day of March, 1999.


NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ Dennis D. Dammerman
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              Dennis D. Dammerman, Director   
                                                                               
                                                                               
NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ Denis J. Nayden  
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              Denis J. Nayden, Director       
                                                                               
                                                                               
NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ Edward D. Stewart
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              Edward D. Stewart, Director      
                                                                               
                                                                               
NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ James A. Parke
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              James A. Parke, Director         
                                                                               
                                                                               
NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ Roger V. Goddu
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              Roger V. Goddu, Director         
                                                                               
                                                                               
NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ Silas S. Cathcart            
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              Silas S. Cathcart, Director      
                                                                               
                                                                               
NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ Bernard F. Brennan
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              Bernard F. Brennan, Director      
                                                                               
                                                                               
NAME AND TITLE                                /s/ Tommy T. Cato
                                            -----------------------------------
                                              Tommy T. Cato, Director

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