101st Airborne, WWII Hero Dies, Darrell Powers

[Chief1C]

I follow WWII History Closely, because I'm writing a book on the 329th Regiment of the 83rd Infantry aka "Thunder Bolt Division". Band of Brothers ranks highly among my favorite World War flicks, and I went beyond the movie, and actually did some research on the guys that were portrayed. Just to get a glimpse of life across Europe. So, when I seen this, I was moved and thought Mr. Powers deserved some spot light too. His contribution may not be as highly noted, but, it's sure a hell of a lot more profound and humanistic than what a pop singer gave to the world. This group, and all of the fellows gave life, and saved probably hundreds of thousands. I thought a note about it would be fitting. He has my respect.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20090721/ts_ynews/ynews_ts829

Internet stories that sound "too good to be true" sometimes turn out to be just that.

In the June maelstrom of celebrity deaths, a World War II vet died on June 17 at age 86. His passing got some mention in the Roanoke Times, but someone believed that Darrell "Shifty" Powers deserved a lot more notice: The former soldier had served in the 101st Airborne Division, part of the fabled Easy Company that inspired the book and 2001 HBO miniseries, "Band of Brothers."

So an anonymous email, sent out July 7, called out for a "nationwide memorial service" to recognize an American hero. The writer wasn't a friend or family member, but a stranger who had a chance airport encounter with an elderly Powers. The vet's story might get interest from "a bunch of military-minded friends," the writer thought, and that would be it.

But a funny thing happened on the Web. Blogs started mentioning Powers' legacy. The message gave fodder for some people to ding "the media" for overlooking a chance to honor Powers' service. One even posted the email in the comments area of a story about a state trooper injured in a golf cart accident.

Then, the unsigned email itself became news. Was the author actually test pilot Chuck Yeager? McClatchy Newspapers military columnist Joseph Galloway? ABC finally tracked down the writer, who turned out to be one Mark Pfiefer, a retired Dow Jones employee.

The moment of silence that Pfiefer had wanted for Powers ended up being a social networking salute on July 20. Searches on Yahoo! for "darrell shifty powers" rose 63% from people 21 on up. No less than six memorials appeared on Facebook, with 1,620 members so far in one. And the Twittering continues.

The Military Times caught up with Pfiefer, who said he "had no idea it would take off the way it did." As for Powers' family, his daughter Margo believed her dad would "say everyone is just making too much of a fuss, but that's just the way he was, very humble." And Margo's husband, Sheldon, called this online call-out "too good to be true, like those fake stories that make the rounds on the Internet." And, agendas aside, this one turned out even better than planned.

Below is an interview with Powers about the HBO series.

http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_12869438

Darrell Powers, above, was a member of Easy Company, a storied regiment that seized Hitler's retreat and jumped into France on D-Day. Powers, 86, died last month.

Maybe it was the unending coverage and adulation that followed the death of Michael Jackson.

Or maybe it was the fact that my older brother, Bud, is currently in Rattlesden, England, visiting the overgrown airfield from which he once flew B-17 missions over Germany for the Eighth Air Force. Whatever the reason, I latched onto the news story last week as if it were holy writ. Which, in a way, it was.

The story was about the death of Darrell "Shifty" Powers, who passed away last month in his home state, Virginia. That may not mean anything to you unless you were an avid watcher of HBO's 10-part series, "Band of Brothers," which ran in 2001. Presented by Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg the series was based on a best-selling book by the late historian Stephen Ambrose.

From basic training to the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest retreat at Berchtesgaden in 1945, it was the story of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Easy was a rifle unit which jumped into France the morning of D-Day, June 6, 1944, as part of the 101st Airborne, also known as the Screaming Eagles.

Powers, whose nickname Shifty was earned during his early years of playing basketball, was one of those Easy Company soldiers. On television, his part was played by actor Peter Youngblood Hills.

Following the death of Powers and after the death of pop star Michael Jackson, an e-mail began showing up at several newspapers across the country. It was a sort of obituary

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for Shifty, although it had no signature. Included in the anonymous testimonial was the following story:

Chance meeting at airport

"I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help assure 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 had 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 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.

"He said, also very humbly, that he had jumped at Normandy. `Do you know where Normandy is?' he asked.

"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."

The TV version of the "Band of Brothers" was interspersed with commentaries from the real-life members of Easy Company. In one of them, Powers talked about the typical German soldier against whom he had fought. "We might have had a lot in common," he said. "He might have liked to fish, you know, he might have liked to hunt. Of course they were doing what they were supposed to do, and I was doing what I was supposed to do. But under different circumstances, we might have been good friends."

No hoopla for `genuine war hero'

Arriving at several newspapers a few days after the highly publicized Michael Jackson memorial, the anonymous tribute to Shifty Powers concluded:

"Shifty died June 17 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade

No big event at Staples Center.

No wall-to-wall, back-to-back, 24-x-7 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 e-mail to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.

"Rest in peace, Shifty."

For several days, there was a guessing game as to who had written the tribute to Powers. Chuck Yeager, the test pilot and retired general, emerged as a prime candidate, but spokespeople denied he had anything to do with it. The spotlight switched to Joseph Galloway, a columnist for McClatchy Newspapers who has written extensively about war and the military. But Galloway apparently was not the author.

The man who wrote the tribute, and who has called for an online tribute to Powers, turns out to have been Mark Pfeifer. He says he wrote the tribute July 7 and e-mailed it to a few friends and acquaintances, including members of Powers family in Dickinson County, Va. Pfeifer, who is retired from Dow Jones has told ABC News that he had no idea the e-mail would receive so much attention. On Thursday, he said, "Now thousands of people have been organized into a virtual memorial service for Shifty on July 20(this Monday), presumably all day. It will be on Twitter, Facebook, ad a host of other social networking sites."

Well done, Mr. Pfeifer.

Footnote: A great golf event

Ten years ago, my friend and P-T colleague Shirley Wild founded the Steel Magnolias, the support arm of the Stramski Children's Development Center at Miller Children's Hospital.

On Aug. 3, the Magnolias are sponsoring a first-time event, the "Mrs. Mayor Tea Cup." The golf tournament and fundraiser honors Long Beach's first lady, Nancy Foster, and benefits the Stramski Center. Shirley is chairing the event, which begins with a shotgun start at 3p.m. at Heartwell Golf Course, 6700 E. Carson St.

Heartwell, which I used to dig up regularly while a golfer, is a par-3 course, and Shirley says, "Sometimes people don't like a short, par-3 course. But this tournament will be different. We have put together a fun afternoon with interesting people."

Individual entry is $100, and a foursome $400. Separate admission to the dinner and awards banquet following the tournament is $25. There will be three player categories: men, women, or two men and two women. Food and beverages also will be available on the course. Trophies and prizes will be awarded. The latter will include a flat-screen TV to the winner of a hole-in-one tournament. A bagpiper will pipe players to their starting holes.

Darrell "Shifty" Powers

Darrell "Shifty" Powers, 86, of Shifty Lane, Clinchco, Va., passed away Wednesday June 17, 2009 at Wellmont Regional Hospital, Bristol, Tenn., after a courageous battle with cancer.

He was a charter member of Clinchco Missionary Baptist Church. Shifty was a veteran of World War II, having served in the 101st Airborne, 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment. He was a member of the famed Easy Company whose exploits received worldwide recognition in "Band of Brothers," a book by historian Stephen Ambrose, and miniseries produced by Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg. Shifty dropped behind enemy lines in Normanday on D-Day. He also participated in all of Easy Company's battles including Operation Market Garden, Battle of the Bulge, and the capture of Hitler's Eagles Nest.

Darrell was preceded in death by his parents Barnum and Audrey Colley Powers; brothers, James, Barnum and Frank Powers; and a great-grandson Gavin Johnson.

Survivors include his loving wife of sixty years, Dorothy; son, Wayne (Sandy) Powers of Clinchco, Va., daughter, Margo (Seldon) Johnson of Bristol, Va., sister, Gaynell (Clair) Sykes of Roanoke,Va.; sisters-in-law, Ann Powers of Clintwood Va., Betty Powers of Greenville, Tenn.; four grandchildren, Clay (Kayla) Powers, Dove Powers, Jake (Dawnyale) Johnson and Luke (Amanda) Johnson; two great-grandchildren, Caden Powers and Cooper Powers; several nieces and nephews; several great-nieces and nephews; and special family friends the Robinettes, Carol, David and Tammy and Suzanne Axtell.

Pallbearers will be Jake Johnson, Luke Johnson, Clay Powers, David Robinette, Johnny Sykes, Mike Strouth and John Wesley Hawkins. Honorary pallbearers will be Ben Sutherland, Claire Sykes, Tim Thomas, Wayne "Pappy" McCowan, Shang-Hi Nichols and Mickey Taylor.

The family will receive friends on Friday June 19, 2009, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., followed with a song service at 7:30 in the Mullins Funeral Home Chapel, Clintwood Va. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday June 20, 2009 at 1:00 p.m., with Pastor Randy Moore officiating. Graveside services with Military Honors will be conducted by Francis Marion VFW post 4667 at Temple Hill Cemetery.

Online email condolences may be made at mullinsfuneralhome1@verizon.net.

Mullins Funeral Home and staff are serving the Powers Family.

[Katiebug]

Hooah.

[Dustdevil]

I have no words worthy.

Adios, Brother.

[croaker260]

Hooah.

Airborn!

[FireMedic65]

RIP Shifty!

[medic82942003]

RIP- I read Band of Brothers, damn good book.