1/17/2024 0 Comments Shifty powers 101 airborn![]() As I looked at the mounds in the snow, I thought how it looked just like a graveyard. I was standing among the trees all by myself. We placed pine branches over our foxholes to keep out some of the snow. We were bivouacked in an area of Pine trees. There was about 10-12 inches of snow on the ground. Easy Company was pulled off the line and put in reserve for a short rest. Note: (Bill Keen was later killed by artillery fire in Hagenau.) Bastogne, BelgiumĪnother incident I will mention occurred in Bastogne. We continued our search until almost daybreak, but never did encounter the Germans. He had been in the hospital and was returning to our platoon. Instead of shooting, I asked him the password (which he knew). I could tell this was just "one man", not twelve Germans. The Lieutenant had told me there would be no GPs out there, only the German Patrol. I stopped the column because, I could hear someone coming toward us. I was leading the group mainly because of my keen sense of hearing. We were moving down a road, stopping often to listen. I knew I would not be able to see my rifle sights, so I took 2 pistols instead. My orders were take men and find the Germans. He told me there was a twelve-man German combat patrol in the area. This was the first incident in which I almost shot Keen. He had lost his cricket and I almost shot him. As it turned out, it was our buddy, Bill Keen. Fortunately, he gave the correct response. I started to shoot, but then decided to ask the oral password. Taylor clicked his "cricket clicker." (We issued the clickers to use as a recognition signal.) When the moon heard the click, he dropped to the ground. (The night was fairly light since there was a full moon.) I pointed my rifle at him and waited. While talking, we saw a soldier walking across the field. We were trying to decide the best way to find the other E-Company soldiers. On the ground, Taylor and I got together in the shadows of a hedgerow. I do not know if the plane made it back to England. Also, as I went out the door, the left motor was hit by antiaircraft. I could hear bullets "pinging" through the plane as I jumped. Taylor, and I were the last 3 men on the stick on our plane. The jump on D-Day in Normandy was all "Screwed up!" Bill Keen, SGT. I will mention a few of my experiences that are not included in the book, Band of Brothers. Especially to the veterans.My name is Darrell "Shifty" Powers. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage. Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer. 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.Īnd mine are brimming up now as I write this. 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. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back inĬoach while I was in First Class. 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 asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day. 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." do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped. "Īt that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy. Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. ![]() 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. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. Shifty volunteered for the airrborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers. We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services. This came to me via my daughter from another relative, ex Marine: ![]()
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