Without question the members of our nation’s armed forces deserve the utmost respect for the sacrifices they willingly make in the name of American freedom. While the death of Michael Jackson is certainly tragic and while it is understandable why many would be saddened by the loss of “The King of Pop,” it does seem a strange juxtaposition when compared to the lack of media attention upon the death of Shifty Powers. Third, Pfeiffer’s frustration with the volume of media coverage over the death of Michael Jackson when compared to the fanfare over the death of such a revered American military hero is something I have also experienced. At arguably no other time in our nation’s history has information been able to travel as quickly as it does today. From only one person recounting a chance encounter in an airport, Shifty has now received national attention. ![]() Second, the speed and scope with which his story spread across the country is interesting. Without question his service to our nation is to be applauded. First and obviously, SSgt Powers certainly deserves recognition. Several elements of this story strike me as particularly significant. And that’s not right.” Within days of posting his email which proposed an online memorial for this fallen hero, memorial pages began cropping up on sites all over the internet, including on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and other online networking sites. No wall-to-wall, back-to-back, 24/7 news coverage. Pfeiffer wrote of Powers’ death in his email, “There was no parade. As a result, Pfeiffer crafted his email which reminds readers of the significant sacrifices of SSgt Powers and those with whom he served. According to an article last month in Navy Times, after meeting Powers and digesting the significance of the opportunity to chat with such a notable American hero, Pfeiffer became a bit “overwhelmed” by the amount of media attention given to the death of Michael Jackson when compared to that of Shifty Powers. Originally attributed to General Chuck Yeager and even athlete Roberto Clemente, the author has been confirmed as Mark Pfeiffer, an average American with some knowledge of World War II history. After recognizing the emblem of the 101st Airborne on Powers’ hat, the author quickly discovered that Powers was not only a World War II veteran, he was in fact a man of notable military experience and distinction.Īfter circulating the internet, the email gained enough attention for several to seek the name of its author. After helping Powers confirm that he was waiting at the correct gate, the email’s author engaged in some small talk with the elderly man that led the author to discover that he was chit-chatting with a true American hero. The email I received was written by an individual who met Powers in a Philadelphia airport a couple of years before Shifty’s death. While the story was covered by several local news outlets in and around Shifty’s hometown in rural Virginia, the story and Shifty’s significance to American history seems to have been lost on the national media. SSgt Powers died at his home in Dickenson County, Virginia on June 17 at the age of 86 after losing a prolonged battle with cancer. ![]() ![]() Actor Peter Youngblood Hills portrays Shifty’s character on the HBO series. Anyone who has read Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers or seen the HBO hit series by the same name will recognize Shifty’s name. SSgt Darrell “Shifty” Powers served with the 101st Airborne Infantry Easy Company. I recently received an email that was quite touching and I thought worth sharing here (see below).
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