Written by Mark Pfeifer
Darrell "Shifty" Powers served as a U.S. Army paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, "Easy Company" during World War II. Known by his fellow soldiers as both a quiet man and an excellent sharpshooter, Shifty Powers was among those who parachuted into Normandy on D-Day. By the time he was discharged from the Army in 1945, he had been awarded an Expert Rifleman Badge, a Combat Infantry Badge, a Presidential Unit Citation, and two Bronze Stars. And he was one of the "Band of Brothers" portrayed in the Stephen Ambrose book and HBO miniseries of the same name. The word "hero" is consistently used to describe him.
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, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy is?"
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 2009 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.
"A nation without heroes is nothing."
Roberto Clemente
