FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Darrell "Shifty" Powers ~ 15 July 2019

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Darrell "Shifty" Powers
Story from this website.

           

Darrell "Shifty" Powers (March 13, 1923–June 17, 2009) was a former U.S. Army NCO during World War II who served with the famed E Co/2/506 of the 101st Airborne Division (the Band of Brothers). Shifty was an original member of Easy Company, training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. Shifty's hometown was Clinchco, Virginia, in Dickenson County.

Powers was born in Clinchco, Dickenson County, Virginia and volunteered for the paratroopers with his good friend, "Popeye" Wynn. Shifty spent a great deal of time in the outdoors hunting game prior to joining the service. This would later prove useful as many of the skills he obtained helped him as a soldier.

Powers jumped into Normandy on D-Day, missing his drop zone. He eventually came in contact with Floyd Talbert and the two made their way to Easy Company. He participated in the assault of Carentan and every major battle Easy Company was involved with until the end of the war. He was considered by many to be the best shot in the company.

Because many men serving in the 101st lacked the minimum points required to return home, a lottery was put in place. Shifty Powers won this lottery after the rest of the company rigged it in his favor by removing their own names, and was set to return stateside. During the trip to the airfield, the vehicle Shifty was in was involved in an accident and Shifty was badly injured. He spent many months recuperating in hospitals overseas while his comrades in arms arrived home long before he did.

Honorably discharged from the Army in the postwar demobilization, he became a machinist for the Clinchfield Coal Corporation.

He is listed as one of 20 men from Easy Company who contributed to the 2009 book We Who Are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers, published by Penguin/Berkley-Caliber.

"Shifty" Powers died June 17, 2009, of Cancer in Dickenson County, Virginia.

Thank you, sir, for your service and sacrifice for our country!

This email has gone around the internet, and it says a lot about our country and it's priorities.  Not a lot that's good either....

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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.

"A nation without heroes is nothing." - Roberto Clemente

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There's a really nice tribute over at Blackfive - worth a read.

VERY fun story here also.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[luvie]

I was surprised, too. But our “ahead of schedule” means 9.5 inches. LOL! Our yearly average is about 13 inches, so to us, it’s pretty good.

Hope that corn gets the rain it needs, and it looks like, with ol’ Barry hanging around, that it just might. And I hope it benefits the farmers who planted late, too.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Luv...we love reading about our heroes.

Did you get a nap today?

I am dead tired, but not sleeping more than a couple hours at a time. Finally dragged out to my recliner early, early and got about 4 hours sleep. Nice. d:o)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Is Blue purring with all the attention and exercise?

[radu]

Hey there, Kathy.

No rain for us yet from Barry but they SAY we’ll get some tomorrow, and more Tues. and Wed. We’ll see.

Great to know you FINALLY got some rain. There’s more southeast of you and it’s heading your way. It looks like the peninsula might get a decent dose from it, and possibly the fire up north. Sure would be nice! And you know the firefighters are more than ready for a break.

[Kathy in Alaska]

I hope and pray that the Kenai fire gets some rain help. The fire crews have been there a long time under horrible conditions.

And there are several fires up around the Fairbanks area that need help as well.

And in between the two, the Mat-Su has several fires going, too.

[radu]

It doesn’t seem like it’s rained enough times this year to give you that much. LOL! But every drop counts.

We just hope Barry has some rain left for us once it makes its eastward turn. West TN sure is getting a lot tonight.

[Kathy in Alaska]

In first....The Mayor grabs the gold!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And in second....JJ snags the silver!!

[radu]

Kenai looks to have the best chance for good rainfall and I hope it’s enough to help a lot.
The Mat-Su might get a little, from what I see at this time.

I didn’t know there were more fires up around Fairbanks. Not much rain up that way right now but maybe things will build up soon.

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top three....deadrock bags the bronze!!

[mylife]

We cant get a break, Saturday at about 2pm I saw a huge fire downtown right where we just cleaned up from the tornado a few weeks back.

Muzzy’s Alley burnt to the ground.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/muzzys-alley-greenville

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, Mooch...were you involved in the power outage yesterday? Hope not.

Our heatwave has finally broken and today brought a couple hours of rain.

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

How's everyone doing this morning?

[Kathy in Alaska]

[radu]

Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))

How did yesterday’s outing go? Was Gizmo able to run free or did he need to be leashed due to crowds?

[radu]

Awwww man! That news about Muzzy’s Alley certainly stinks.

[MoochPooch]

Fortunately I didn’t live in the area (Upper West Side) which was affected by the outage. I found out about it after Shabbos.

I would be curious to hear from my physical therapist, who lives in that area.

[mylife]

Fire burnt for over an hour before they got hoses on it.

[radu]

Well that’s not good. There couldn’t have been much left after burning for an hour.

[luvie]

Hope they leave some for you guys. And I hope rain is all it brings. No bad stuff.

I think I’m going to head out now. 7:15am was very early this morning and I had Peaches all night. Bless his heart.

See ya tomorrow? Good luck with that wall. ;)