Remembering Shifty Powers - Merged

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

(Note this is from an Email I recieved I am not the person involved.)
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 TV, 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, assuring him that he was at the rightgate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle" symbol on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st 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 that point, again very humbly, he said, "I madethe 5 traiming jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy...Do you know where that is?

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 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 attendent 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"

Shifty died on June 17, 2009 after fighting cancer.

NO PARADE

NO BIG EVENT IN STAPLES CENTER

NO WALL TO WALL BACK TO BACK 24 x 7 NEWS COVERAGE.

NO WEEPING ADORING FANS ON TELEVISION

And that's NOT right!

Information

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[Buckeye Shooter]

John, Thanks for passing that along.

I never met Shifty, but did meet one of the others in E Co.. It was a great experience for me.

The Band of Brothers metal cased DVD set they sell is outstanding.
I recommend it highly. It's a keeper. Shify's interview is in there along with many others.

[Chuckindenver]

this was sent to me, no, i dont know him; but i think he was a true Hero.
wish the media covered his life, half as much as MJ , Ferra and the other non Hero types...
this man made no movies, no records, never did a concert to screaming fans, and never was ever arrested for humping on young boys...
he did however, give a big part of his life, so that we keep our freedom.

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, 24/7 news coverage.



No weeping fans on television.



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.

[Jim Tarleton]

Very sad that our priorities have shifted so much. Maybe they haven't, as America really didn't want to get involved with the war. Roosevelt guided us into the war by breaking, or "stretching", a few federal laws. Guys like Shifty gave a lot, and America never looked back.

Semper Fi, Shifty.

Jim

[Jeff L]

I read that Shifty was such a good shot because he hunted squirrels when he was younger.

Great story posted by John. It's nice that someone recognized him and showed him such respect.

-Jeff L

[Chuckindenver]

ok, im confused.
says this was moved do to political comments??? really??.
the 1903 SA, M1 Garand, M1 carbine and every rifle on the Jouster forum, were all born from this time frame, and the men that carried them in combat.
and the reason that most if not all of us collect, shoot and love these rifles, as they have history, that all of us Americans should be thankfull for.
this post has nothing to do with politics, non what so ever..
personlly i can care less about polictics, i care deaply and am greatful for the service and history these men gave for my country, and the other countrys that seem to have forgot this part of history..
this really chapped my hide

[Amatikulu]

I'm not sure what you are referring to chuckindenver. This hasn't been moved to the political forum. Your post has been merged with an identical one posted by John Sukey eight hours earlier on Gun Talk.

[Chuckindenver]

mmm, k, well, im more confused then before..
maybe i dont understand why it would be moved? shared or not..

[Louis of PA]

[Louis of PA]

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