Memorial Service

[gcboat]

This is so true.... Memorials have been reduced to sales events...

Posted by: "Robert F. White" etihwr2@verizon.net


Subject:: 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 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.

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 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.

I did not do a Snopes search on this - I do believe that this is, in my heart, to be true. If proven wrong I apologize now.

 

[mphy98]

Re: Memorial Service

I salute you for offering him your seat, and him for his service and humility for refusing it. My father is also a wwII vet, he told me they are dying off like 1000 a week and within a couple of years none will be left. I wish the news media would try to get as many of them together as possible, have Oboma declare a one year one day national holiday where everything closed to remember these guys and have the news media record and air their stories that day and them give them free of charge to all the middle schools so they can learn and never forget.

 

[JB]

Re: Memorial Service

Easy Company has received a good deal more recognition than the several million other young men and boys who went to war for us. Not that they don't deserve it. . .they do, and more. All of them deserve all of the thanks we can muster, and while they are still here.

I had several friends in the 101st who rest today in a field in France and several grandsons older than they were when they went to war. My uncles served in the OSS and the Navy air arm. Both were fortunate enough to come home and both are now gone after long and fruitful lives.

I really hope that the above narrative is true, and that other aging vets get similar treatment, particularly Nam vets, who were, and are, treated shamefully by and ungrateful country.

On my recent trip I happened to be in a truck stop in a small Minnesota town. An aging man wearing a huge belly and a ballcap that identified him as a Nam Vet and a young man in BDUs were in line to pay for. . .whatever. Several people went up to the young Lieutenant and thanked him for his service, then walked away. The soldier turned to the Nam Vet and shook his hand, then paid for his meal. I didn't hear what he said, but it brought tears to the older man's eyes.

I don't recall ever seeing a greater demonstration of class than that young officer showed that evening.

 

[High7eck Redneck]

Re: Memorial Service

As a young man my grandfather instilled in me a great respect for those who serve this great country.
I visited the the the USS Arizona memorial a few years ago and was shocked at how many couples my age, let their children run wild at this MEMORIAL. It made me feel ashamed of my generation.

I thank all who have served and kept me safe.

I agree that a national day of recognition is needed. And the teaching of the sacrifices these great men and women made for our security.

 

[JB]

Re: Memorial Service

I agree that a national day of recognition is needed. And the teaching of the sacrifices these great men and women made for our security.

Actually, we have three such days but many Americans use them to party and seem to know nothing about their meaning.

Memorial Day is to recognize, remember and honor those who are gone, but in particular those who died in war.

Veterans Day is to recognize, remember and honor those who served and survived.

And, of course, we have Armed Forces Day to honor and thank those who are currently serving. To me, every day is Armed Forces Day.

 

[rogerwa]

Re: Memorial Service

Let's not forget Independence day as an opportunity to remember and thank.

This past fourth, My family and friends had setup to watch fireworks at a field just out of Webster, WI. The sponsoring restaurant had a tent with beer and brats and the owner was acting as a DJ. He was quite an excited guy and was playing old classics.

When it came close to the fireworks starting, he called out to the crowd to recognize the 4 Navy men that were attending in their white uniforms. Everyone got up and cheered. The next song he started was Proud to be an American and proceeded to tell the crowd how happy he was that his son had arrived home from Iraq that day.. You could hear it in his voice as Lee Greenwood got to the part about the Lakes of Minnesota.

He played that song three more times during the fireworks. It was a very moving experience. Small town patriotism. You just can't beat it.

 

[capt_neo]

Re: Memorial Service

As a young man my grandfather instilled in me a great respect for those who serve this great country.
I visited the the the USS Arizona memorial a few years ago and was shocked at how many couples my age, let their children run wild at this MEMORIAL. It made me feel ashamed of my generation.

I thank all who have served and kept me safe.

I agree that a national day of recognition is needed. And the teaching of the sacrifices these great men and women made for our security.

I echo High7eck Redneck's sentiments exactly (USS Arizona). This past April, my Admiral and I got to celebrate our 10 year anniversary by visiting HNL. Of course we were not going to to leave the island without visiting the Memorial. I was appalled, ashamed, and angered by the absolute rudeness of many of the people who were there while we were. I honest to god believe many thought they were going to an amusement park with the way they behaved. It was quite maddening. Kids jumping around on the ride the the USS Arizona, and misbehaving even after some yeomen were giving them the business. The parents were (are) clueless.

Honestly, whether the story which started this link were true or not, from my perspective it does what it is intended. At least for me, it reminds us of the sacrifice many great people made for us to enjoy the liberties we have today. (I lost two uncles in WWII and a cousin in Vietnam).

Not to be insensitive to the valiant who served and to those who gave their lives in any of the prior wars of the last century, but we have a great number of men and women currently serving who also deserve our gratitude. I am ashamed to admit that beyond flying our countries colors on appropriate holidays, I have to ask myself am I doing enough now to support these individuals?

 

[BLU LUNCH]

Re: Memorial Service

I really liked the story about offering the seat exchange, and your right there are to many unsung heroes of all wars. I have started a project to document the civil wars soldiers here in our town in 1861 we had less than population of less than 3000 and we sent 200+ men to fight as young as 14 years old, 106 of the men went in to the 16th Connecticut Infantry in August 1862 and with 3 weeks training they were marched in to the battle of Antietam and several of the companies were slaughtered due to inexperience, the same regiment was captured in Plymouth NC in 1864 and they were sent to Andersonville Prison were 15 men from town perished. I wanted to honor and remember the men here. The site I started has all the graves of the men here with there service records, there is a man here in town who every year selects about a dozen graves and cleans the marble military markers replace the flag holders on puts them if there are none and flags out of his own pocket. I have also have the American Legion involved here in a effort to get several illegible and broken markers replaced. I am still researching the soldiers so some of the men records are incomplete. Click the link on my signature to view the site I started...........