Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com Forum Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com
An information board for the Collector of Nippon Militaria
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch    Back to Castle-Thunder.comCastle-Thunder.com    MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
  Castle-Thunder.com ChatLive Chat    ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Staff Sergeant Darrell "Shifty" Powers ETO

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com Forum -> Remembering Our Veterans
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
gwsiii



Joined: Aug 21 2003
Posts: 2228
Location: Hayden, AL

PostPosted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:16 pm    Post subject: Staff Sergeant Darrell "Shifty" Powers ETO Reply with quote

Staff Sergeant Darrell "Shifty" Powers b.March 13, 1923 d.June 17, 2009
E Company
2nd Battalion
506th Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division

-Presidential Unit Citation
-European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
-World War II Victory Medal

From an email I received attributed to Mark Pfiefer:
Quote:
We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services. I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. 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.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.

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.

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?" At this point my heart stopped.

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. 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 asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. And 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.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. 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.

He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. 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. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade.

No big event in Staples Center.

No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.

No weeping fans on television.

And that's not right.

Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.

Rest in peace, Shifty.




Staff Sergeant Darrell "Shifty" Powers b.March 13, 1923 d.June 17, 2009
E Company
2nd Battalion
506th Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division

-Presidential Unit Citation
-European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
-World War II Victory Medal



Thanks Shifty!

Notes:

One of the best shots in the 506th.

After hostilities ended, while in Austria, His name was drawn, from lottery, for an early rotation back to the States. One of the vehicles that was transporting him was involved in an accident seriously injuring Shifty. Shifty spent the next year in Hospital, one of the last of his outfit to get home (FUBAR).

Wikipedia Page Darrell "Shifty" Powers

Below is from the Snopes.com Shifty Powers Page
According to ABC News the original e-mail was written by Mark Pfiefer. He contacted Snopes.com and confirmed the email stating also that "there is an organized virtual memorial services for Shifty on July 20th. It will be on Twitter, Facebook, and a host of other social networking sites."
_________________
Subscribe to BANZAI!
Fill out a Japanese Rifle Datasheet.
I didn't pay to much for that old Arisaka, I just bought it a little bit too soon!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Japanese Militaria at Castle-Thunder.com Forum -> Remembering Our Veterans All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group