"SHIFTY"

Old 03-12-2011, 05:28 AM
  #1  
badrat1430
Member
JOURNEYMAN
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sikeston Mo. USA
Posts: 34
Default "SHIFTY"

There was a picture with more metals than could fit on his uinform !!!
Hope someone will pass this on !


Please pass this on so that untold thousands can read it.....We owe no less to our REAL HEROES......


"SHIFTY" - an incredible American Hero
SHIFTY DIED JAN 17, 2009..........May God rest his soul.




Shifty!! by Chuck Yeager
One hero paying homage to another!!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Shifty" By Chuck Yeager


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 Jan. l7 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, Maj Gen. [ret.]


P.S. I think that it is amazing how the "media" chooses our "heroes" these days...

Michael Jackson & the like!
badrat1430 is offline  
Old 03-12-2011, 05:39 AM
  #2  
Harbone
Moderator
RACING JUNKIE
 
Harbone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,041
Default

he actually died in 2009, heres something linked to that letter stating Yeager was not the real author...

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/mil...fty_powers.htm
__________________
Chris

As close to "Normal" as I can get...
Harbone is offline  
Old 03-12-2011, 05:45 AM
  #3  
badrat1430
Member
JOURNEYMAN
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Sikeston Mo. USA
Posts: 34
Default

Originally Posted by harbone66
he actually died in 2009, heres something linked to that letter stating Yeager was not the real author...

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/mil...fty_powers.htm
thanks for correcting this !!! and i take it this has been here befor .
badrat1430 is offline  
Old 03-12-2011, 05:52 AM
  #4  
Harbone
Moderator
RACING JUNKIE
 
Harbone's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,041
Default

He was a great man, I have watched the Band of Brothers series at least 3 times now.



Here is the definition of more medals then could fit on his uniform

__________________
Chris

As close to "Normal" as I can get...
Harbone is offline  
Old 03-12-2011, 06:26 AM
  #5  
TheYellaBrick
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
 
TheYellaBrick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Emmett, Idaho
Posts: 7,334
Default

"P.S. I think that it is amazing how the "media" chooses our "heroes" these days...

Michael Jackson & the like!"

REAL heroes don't have to brag about it.....We call those that do, 'PX heroes' , bought all their medals at the PX.....

Rest in Peace, Shifty. LOVE his nickname ! Wasn't a car guy was he ?
TheYellaBrick is offline  
Old 03-12-2011, 10:57 AM
  #6  
MEMRACING62
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: orland pk il
Posts: 2,399
Default

Originally Posted by DrivingMissDD
"P.S. I think that it is amazing how the "media" chooses our "heroes" these days...

Michael Jackson & the like!"

REAL heroes don't have to brag about it.....We call those that do, 'PX heroes' , bought all their medals at the PX.....

Rest in Peace, Shifty. LOVE his nickname ! Wasn't a car guy was he ?
A BIG X2 D.D.
MEMRACING62 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Do Not Sell My Personal Information -