A nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers
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 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. [ret.]
