American Hero

I received this in one of those emails that ask you to forward it on, and unlike all most all of them, I did forward it to many of the people in my distribution list. It appears as though the originator of the message was Chuck Yeager, but I can't vouch for that. In any event, forwarding the message was not enough for this man. We simply cannot forget these boys who went off to WWII, and returned as heroes, or didn't return at all. They fought and died for the world to remain free of the tyranny of the Nazi's. We can't lose sight of that, especially not now.

Chuck Yeager
Sent: Fri, Jul 10, 2009 1:02 pm
Subject: Memorial Service: you're invited.

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.

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.]


Let's keep this one going, please.