(When I was General Manager of the Jeux Canada Games in Saint John, NB, in August, 1985 the Commanding General at Camp Gagetown contacted me and asked if I could accommodate some American Troops who were just finishing a massive military exercise and were enroute home to the U.S. Where Normandy is?” At this point my heart stopped. I told him “yes, Jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . Quietly and humbly, he said “Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so,Īnd was in until sometime in 1945 … ” at which point my heartĪt that point, again, very humbly, he said “I made the 5 training I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, He said quietly that he had been in theġ01st. Making conversation, I asked him if he d been in the 101st Airborne I offered to help, assured him that he wasĪt the right gate, and noticed the “Screaming Eagle,” the symbol of I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. His character appears in all 10Įpisodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them. If you’ve seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with EasyĬompany of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101stĪirborne Infantry. I think that it is amazing how the "media" chooses our "heroes" these days.Elvis, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, & the like.I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell “Shifty” Powers. Please forward this to everyone you know. Let's give Shifty his own memorial service, on line, in our own quiet way.
No wall-to-wall, back-to-back 24x7 news coverage. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and who still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it.Īnd mine are brimming up now as I write this. 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. 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 asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day. I told him "Yes, I know exactly where Normandy is, 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. do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped. At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy. Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945. 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. 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.
0 kommentar(er)
