Darrell Powers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Darrell Cecil Powers
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| Nickname(s) | "Shifty" |
| Born | March 13, 1923 Clinchco, Virginia, US |
| Died | June 17, 2009 (aged 86) Clinchco, Virginia, US |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Staff Sergeant |
| Unit | E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal (2) |
| Relations |
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| Other work | Machinist |
Darrell Cecil "Shifty" Powers (born March 13, 1923 – died June 17, 2009) was a brave soldier in the United States Army. He served during World War II as a Staff Sergeant. Shifty was part of a famous group called Easy Company. This company was part of the 101st Airborne Division. You might know him from the TV show Band of Brothers. An actor named Peter Youngblood Hills played him in the series.
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Early Life and Skills
Shifty Powers was born in Clinchco, Virginia. His father was very good with rifles and pistols. He taught Shifty how to shoot when he was young. Shifty spent a lot of time outdoors. He loved hunting game. He became so skilled that he could throw a coin in the air and hit it with his rifle. These amazing shooting skills helped him greatly as a soldier.
After high school, Shifty took a course to become a machinist. He met his friend Robert 'Popeye' Wynn there. They both worked in shipyards for a while. When they heard they might be stuck in those jobs, they decided to join the Army. Shifty joined on August 14, 1942. His nickname "Shifty" came from his basketball days. He was very quick and "shifty" on his feet.
Military Service in World War II
Shifty Powers and Easy Company moved to Aldbourne, England. He was surprised to see how the local people were ready to defend themselves. They only had simple garden tools. Shifty thought it would have been a disaster if the Germans had attacked.
Shifty was part of the D-Day invasion in France. He jumped into Normandy on D-Day. He landed in the wrong spot, but he found two other soldiers from his company. They all joined up with Easy Company a few days later. They then fought in a town called Carentan. Shifty also took part in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. This was a big Allied military plan.
Powers also fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. This was a very tough battle. On December 29, 1944, Easy Company was in the woods. Shifty noticed a tree that had not been there the day before. He told his First Sergeant, Carwood Lipton. It turned out the "tree" was German camouflage. It was hiding an anti-aircraft gun. Lipton got permission to attack the area. The Germans left within an hour. Lipton said, "It all happened, because Shifty saw a tree almost a mile away that hadn't been there the day before." This was one of Shifty's most impressive actions. His outdoor skills truly helped Easy Company.
Later, on January 13, 1945, Easy Company was attacking Foy. A sniper was pinning down several men. No one could find the sniper. Suddenly, Shifty yelled, "I see him!" He fired his rifle and killed the sniper. When Lipton and Wynn found the sniper, they saw the bullet hole right in the middle of his forehead. Wynn joked, "You know, it just doesn't pay to be shootin' at Shifty when he's got a rifle."
Shifty Powers was one of the very few soldiers who was never hurt in battle. Because of this, he did not have enough "points" to go home early. Soldiers earned points for things like being wounded. Even though he was on the front lines every day, he couldn't leave. So, Shifty joined a lottery. One man from each company could go home early. Shifty won! But on his way to the airfield, his vehicle crashed. He was badly hurt. He spent many months recovering in hospitals overseas. His friends got home long before he did.
Life After the War
After the war, Shifty Powers was honorably discharged from the Army. He became a machinist again. He was married to his wife, Dorothy, for 60 years. For three years, he lived in California with his family. He worked as a machinist there. But he lost his job when his company lost a government contract. So, he moved back home to Virginia. He worked as a machinist for the Clinchfield Coal Corporation for over twenty years.
In his later years, Shifty's health declined. He also felt very sad. However, the release of the Band of Brothers TV show helped him. He started getting invitations to speak about his experiences. His family said that the TV series helped him overcome his sadness. They believed it even gave him extra years of life.
Shifty Powers was one of 20 men from Easy Company who shared their stories. These stories were published in the 2009 book We Who Are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers. Shifty passed away from lung cancer on June 17, 2009. He is buried in Temple Hill Memorial Park in Virginia.
Shifty in Band of Brothers
The book Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose first said that Shifty disobeyed an order. It claimed he refused to go on patrol on December 23, 1944. But both Shifty and his Lieutenant, Edward Shames, said this was not true. Shifty called the idea "a slap in the face." After they explained, Ambrose removed that story from later versions of the book.
Shifty Powers was a character in the HBO TV series Band of Brothers. He was played by Peter Youngblood Hills. In one episode called "The Last Patrol," Shifty was shown on a patrol mission. However, in real life, Shifty was not on that specific patrol.
Images for kids
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The Combat Infantryman Badge, awarded for active participation in ground combat.
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The Bronze Star Medal ribbon. Shifty earned two of these.
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The Army Good Conduct Medal ribbon.
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The American Defense Service Medal ribbon.
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The American Campaign Medal ribbon.
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The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal ribbon with three service stars and an arrowhead device.
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The World War II Victory Medal ribbon.
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The Presidential Unit Citation ribbon with one oak leaf cluster.
See also
In Spanish: Darrell Powers para niños
