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    Default Shifty

    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 is, 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 who 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.


    Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet
    way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the
    veterans.


    Rest in peace, Shifty.

    Chuck Yeager, MajGen. [ret.]
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I know this was a long post, but I saw it and had to post it. This man was a true hero and deserves as many people as possible to remember him and all those that gave their lives that day.

    House
    Last edited by household 6; 02-02-2010 at 12:05 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
    Household *6*... Commander at home.

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