IN MEMORY OF FRANK, Army, Korean War, Legionnaire, Lion, Honorary FReeper: Wk 184, Olney,MD 7-18-09

Legionnaire Frank is the second Vet and dear friend of the Olney Patriots to pass away this summer. Clyde passed away in early May and now Frank. Frank passed away this past Tuesday after a blood disorder finally got the best of him. Thankfully he passed away quickly and in comfort, with his family around him.

The last time Frank was out supporting the troops was June 6th, D-Day. He is shown BELOW with his sign special made for Olney. That’s Lurker Bill next to him and Glenn, our WWII Iwo Jima Marine in the back ground..

This is his second sign. His first, identical to this one, “disappeared” at a Walter Reed Freep. A wounded soldier who stopped by to talk with us asked if he could have Frank’s sign. A Freeper, not knowing it was Frank’s sign, gladly gave it to the soldier. Only when Frank went looking for the sign at Olney did we finally figured out where it went. Frank was originally concerned that it was lost, but was grateful that it went to a wounded soldier. We now have Frank’s sign as a reminder of a real good man, close friend, and a brave soldier. We might have to be selfish and keep Frank’s sign this time.

Frank was a real trooper when it came to supporting his Legion Post and the troops. He was Post Chaplain and past Post Commander. He is one of the first of the Legionnaires to stand with us.

Frank was a most excellent story and joke teller. He liked telling stories about his “Obama Grill”. The one that he bought with his stimulus money. And his jokes, after all these years, still had that raw Army humor to them that would probably get this AAR pulled if I repeated them.

After Saturday’s FReep I was excited about writing this AAR because we occupied two corners. Frank's passing takes the real joy from writing about this week's FReep, but Frank always enjoyed when we occupied other corners.

With 13 FReepers, Lurkers and Legionnaires out, our corner got crowded. So Lurker Bill and Eager went over to the northwest corner to better catch the cars heading west. It has been a long time since we occupied additional corners.

Patriots this Saturday included a bunch of our WWII Vets: Glenn (USMC - WWII), Dave (Army - WWII) with friend Janet, Francis (Army - WWII), Ed (Army - WWII), and then our “younger” Vets, Halsey (USMC - Korea) and Carl (Army - Vietnam) and then there was Lurker Bill, and FReepers Cindy_True_Supporter, Eager, Fraxinus, [Mrs] Trooprally and myself.

One of these days maybe Lurker Bill will tell us if he’s really registered or not on FR.

BELOW: A neat picture of our main corner. It looks roomy because we've already occupied the northwest corner.

BELOW LEFT: Lurker Bill is the first to occupy the northwest corner. BELOW RIGHT: Eager soon follows.

BELOW: and again, Halsey, with Dave and Janet! I guess since Halsey is Post Commander he can be in as many pictures as he wants.

Then the “others” BELOW LEFT: Me with Cindy_True_Supporter. BELOW RIGHT: Me with Eager. I guess as the author of this AAR I can also be in as many pics as I want. It also helps having [Mrs] T take the pics, easy to bribe. :-))

Some new money making SPEED CAMERAS have been installed on north bound Georgia Avenue right before you enter the main business district. Slow your speed after the light at King William Drive.

And a new one has been placed just south of Brookeville, between Brookeville and the Longwood Community Center.

REMEMBER
Next Saturday, same place, Georgia Avenue, MD Rte. 97 and MD Rte. 108 in Olney
NEW TIME - 10:15 AM to 11:45 AM

As always, the D.C. Chapter's rules for protesting will be in effect. Briefly, they are: No violence, no profanity, no racism, no provocations, obey the law and treat all law enforcement officers with respect.

received in email

From: Chuck Yeager
Sent: Fri, Jul 10, 2009 1:02 pm
Subject: Memorial Service:

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 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 . . . 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 who 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, 2009, 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.

Chuck Yeager, MajGen. (Retired)

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