An Incredible Life

Daryl Powers at Toccoa

I was quietly surfing the Internet last night at my desk and my girlfriend, sitting on the couch, ogling her blackberry as usual, pipes up, "do you know who Daryl "Shifty" Powers is"? - I let go of the mouse and sat back in my chair. "Of course I know who Daryl "Shifty" Powers is. Why?"

"He's dead", she replied. I immediately turned my attention to the google to verify this troubling news. Sure enough, the information on the Internets confirmed that Daryl C. Powers, known as Shifty by his comrades had passed away on June 17th, 2009 at his home in Virgina.

"JUNE 17TH!!!?" - what the hell? That is a solid month

ago! What's more? Google news search returned only 3 stories about his passing. 3. Why is this? We'll get to that in a minute.

Staff Sargeant Daryl "Shifty" Powers became (somewhat) famous for his participation in the Second World War. His experiences are featured in the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg production called "Band of Brothers" that aired in 10 parts on HBO in 2001. The series was created in tandem with Spielberg's Oscar-winning film "Saving Private Ryan" and in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. "Shifty", as

he will be referred to for the rest of this commentary, was 1 of 168 soldiers in Company E (Easy Company) of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) of the 101st Airborne Division. Their story is detailed in the miniseries.

Peter Youngblood Hills as Daryl "Shifty" Powers

Although, I never met Shifty, I feel like I know him. I was instantly captivated by Band of Brothers series and basically know the story of Easy Company and it's members inside and out. These individuals, most of whom came from very poor upbringings, joined the US Army in their teens and forged one of the most formidable fighting units of the war. The ones that survived, by their 22nd birthdays had seen the end of war in Europe, the horrors of the Holocaust and victory for the Allies in the most incredible human conflict in history. What incredible lives to have lived.

It makes me think about what impact my own life has or will have. Or will the experiences of my life enrich me in a satisfying way that i can look back with fulfillment.

My fascination with Easy Company was so powerful that in 2007, I twice traveled to Belgium and Germany (my girlfriend was working in Luxembourg at the time so that was the main reason). I visited Bastogne, the small Belgian cross-roads town were the 506th was surrounded and cut off by German forces from Dec 16th 1944 to Jan 4th, 1945. I was completely amazed. I visited the American Military Cemetery in Luxembourg, where 2 Easy Company soldiers featured in Band of Brothers, Skip Muck and Alex Penkala, are buried along side so many other fallen soldiers, one of which you may have heard of, General George S Patton. It was incredibly moving to see all these white crosses laying in the silence of the forest around us.

Shifty was involved in every operation that the 506th took part in for the entire war. He joined the unit at its formation at Camp Toccoa, Georgia in 1942. Trained with and received his jump wings with Easy under it's ruthless and sadistic Commanding officer, Capt. Herbert M. Sobel. He sailed away with the company to England in December of 1943 and trained in Aldbourne until Operation Overlord was given the green light in the early morning hours of Jun 6th, 1944. He jumped into France. Shifty took part in the fierce fighting in the Normandy breakout and helped Easy secure the town of Carentan against stiff opposition of the German Fallshrimjaeger troops. He was dropped into occupied Holland during the doomed Operation Market Garden, fought bravely in the Dutch countryside before the 506th was forced to retreat and regroup. He was surrounded at Bastogne in the frigid temperatures of the winter of 1944. He was at Hagenau. Shifty was at Landsberg, outside Munich, were the first signs of the Holocaust were revealed. Shifty helped capture Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

Now it bugs me that we can't go a step without being bombarded with news about Michael Jackson's death and a man like Shifty passes without a word from the mainstream press. I guess it should be expected in our modern time. If it weren't for the Band of Brothers series I may have never knew about Shifty or the others so I cannot deride the mass media all that much. However, how society measures greatness and great people is surely skewed, hence my short tribute here.

At a time where most of these great men who served in WWII are passing away, we need to remember them for their sacrifice and service. Now I'm not the trumpet blowing, America-is-the-greatest, flag waving type, but i cannot help but feel that the story of Shifty's life and all of the men who fought in WWII, provide an important example to us today. The example is that people are capable of amazing things if they believe in themselves and are wiling to do their duty for others.

I'm sure if you had asked Shifty if he thought of himself as a hero he would flatly deny it. He would surely say that the brothers that were left behind on the battlefield were the true heroes, or the men who landed at Omaha Beach on D-day, as he later would mention in a interview "They had it tough. I admire every one of'em". The truth is that Shifty was a hero. Even if only in the sense that he survived the war and remained to serve as a testament for those who died and to tell the world and the world would remember.

My heartfelt condolences go to the Powers Family. My he rest in peace. Currahee!!

All those Band of Brothers Fans out there please keep up the chatter on the net about these great individuals that are still with us.

From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember'd;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother;

Willliam Shakespeare, King Henry V