World War II Honoree

Darrell 'Shifty' Powers

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Clinchco, Virginia

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE VOLUNTEERED FOR THE U.S. ARMY AIRBORNE IN 1941 AND SERVED WITH EASY COMPANY, 506TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, PART OF THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION. HE WAS AN ORIGINAL MEMBER OF EASY COMPANY, TRAINING AT CAMP TOCCOA, GEORGIA. MADE 5 TRAINING JUMPS AT TOCCOA, AND THEN JUMPED INTO NORMANDY, FRANCE ON D-DAY, MISSING HIS DROP ZONE. HE EVENTUALLY CAME IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PARATROOPER AND THE TWO MADE THEIR WAY TO EASY COMPANY. HE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE ALLIED MILITARY OPERATION; OPERATION MARKET GARDEN IN THE NETHERLANDS, AND THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN FOY, BELGIUM. WHILE IN FOY, A GERMAN SNIPER SHOT THREE MEMBERS OF HIS COMPANY, HE SILENCED THE GERMAN SNIPER WITH HIS M-1 RIFLE. COMPANY MEMBERS SAY HE SAVED MANY LIVES THAT DAY. IN A TESTAMENT TO HIS BACKWOODS UPBRINGING, HE MENTIONED TO HIS COMMANDING OFFICER THAT HE NOTICED A TREE IN THE DISTANT FOREST THAT WAS NOT THERE JUST THE DAY BEFORE. IT WAS DISCOVERED TO BE A CAMOUFLAGED GERMAN ARTILLERY PIECE. WERE IT NOT FOR HIS KEEN OBSERVATIONS AND OUTDOORS EXPERIENCE, MANY LIVES MAY HAVE BEEN LOST, HAD THAT ENEMY WEAPON NOT BEEN SPOTTED FROM A DISTANCE OF NEARLY A MILE AWAY AND AMONGST A LITERAL FOREST OF OTHER TREES. MADE A SECOND JUMP INTO HOLLAND, INTO ARNHEM. PARTICIPATED IN THE ASSAULT OF CARENTAN AND EVERY MAJOR BATTLE EASY COMPANY WAS INVOLVED WITH UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. HE WAS CONSIDERED THE BEST SHOT IN THE COMPANY. BECAUSE MANY MEN SERVING IN THE 101ST LACKED THE MINIMUM POINTS REQUIRED TO RETURN HOME, A LOTTERY WAS PUT IN PLACE. HE WON THIS LOTTERY AFTER THE REST OF THE COMPANY RIGGED IT IN HIS FAVOR BY REMOVING THEIR OWN NAMES, AND HE WAS SET TO RETURN STATESIDE. DURING THE TRIP TO THE AIRFIELD, THE VEHICLE HE WAS IN WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND HE WAS BADLY INJURED. HE SPENT MANY MONTHS RECUPERATING IN HOSPITALS OVERSEAS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY IN THE POSTWAR DEMOBILIZATION. AWARDED A BRONZE STAR WITH 1 OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 1 OAK LEAF CLUSTER, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 SERVICE STARS AND ARROWHEAD DEVICE, CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM, FRENCH LIBERATION MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, PARACHUTE BADGE WITH 2 STARS, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.