![]() ![]() He parachuted into France on D-day and fought for a month in Normandy eighty days in Holland thirty-nine in the harshly cold winter of Bastogne and for nearly thirty more near Haguenau, France, and the Ruhr pocket in Germany. As one of the original men who trained at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, Shifty was one out of only two soldiers in Easy Company to initially earn the coveted expert marksman designation. Little did Shifty know his finely-tuned skills would one day save his life-and the lives of his fellow paratroopers. His father trained him to listen to the woods, to "see" without his eyes. Please forward this email to everyone you know, especially to the veterans.From D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge and more, here is the authorized biography of one of the most celebrated paratroopers of Easy Company, Sergeant Shifty Powers, the legendary sharpshooter from the Band of Brothers.As a boy, Darrell "Shifty" Powers's goal was to become the best rifle shot he could be. Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. ![]() No wall to wall, back to back, 24x7 news coverage. Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer. And mine are brimming up now as I write this. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes.Īnd it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem." I was standing with a genuine war hero.and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day. I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy.do you know where Normandy is?" Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945." at which point my heart skipped. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers. We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services. Subject: Memorial Service: you're invited. At the very least he deserved a few moments of our time. We have also lost REAL heroes recently, and this gentleman is one of them. Consider the mindless "events" that have enthralled the news media over the past two weeks. ![]()
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