Criteria The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding ac... The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement, or by meritorious service not involving aerial flight. MoreHide
Criteria The Presidential Unit Citation may be awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or aft... The Presidential Unit Citation may be awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after December 7, 1941. MoreHide
Criteria The Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded on a selective basis to enlisted members of the Army who distinguish themselves by exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity during a specified period of conti... The Army Good Conduct Medal is awarded on a selective basis to enlisted members of the Army who distinguish themselves by exemplary behavior, efficiency and fidelity during a specified period of continuous enlisted active service (normally three years in peacetime). MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the ... The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany, Italy, Austria, or Japan. MoreHide
Criteria The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the ... The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany, Italy, Austria, or Japan. MoreHide
Criteria
The Bronze Lion is a high Royal Dutch award, intended for servicemen who have shown extreme bravery and leadership in battle favouring The Netherlands
Description Beginning on the night of 23 March 1945, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Miles DempBeginning on the night of 23 March 1945, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey (Operations Turnscrew, Widgeon, and Torchlight), and the U.S. Ninth Army (Operation Flashpoint), under Lieutenant General William Simpson. XVIII U.S. Airborne Corps, consisting of the British 6th Airborne Division and the U.S. 17th Airborne Division, conducted Operation Varsity, parachute landings on the east bank in support of the operation. All of these formations were part of the 21st Army Group under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. This was part of a coordinated set of Rhine crossings.
4,000 guns fired for four hours during the opening bombardment. British bombers contributed with attacks on Wesel during the day and night of 23 March.
Three Allied formations made the initial assault: the British XXX and XII Corps and the U.S. XVI Corps. One unit, the British 79th Armoured Division — under Major-General Percy Hobart — had been at the front of the Normandy landings and provided invaluable help in subsequent operations with specially adapted armoured vehicles (referred to as Hobart's Funnies). One "funny" was the "Buffalo" operated by the 4th Royal Tank Regiment under the command of Lt. Col (later Lt. Gen) Alan Jolly, an armed and armored amphibious tracked personnel or cargo transporter able to cross soft and flooded ground. These were the transports for the spearhead infantry.
The first part of Plunder was initiated by the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, led by the 7th Black Watch at 21:00 on 23 March, near Rees, followed by the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. At 02:00 on 24 March, the 15th (Scottish) Division landed between Wesel and Rees. At first, there was no opposition, but later they ran into determined resistance from machine-gun nests. The British 1st Commando Brigade entered Wesel.
The U.S. 30th Division landed south of Wesel. The local resistance had been broken by artillery and air bombardment. Subsequently, the 79th Division also landed. U.S. casualties were minimal. German resistance to the Scottish landings continued with some effect, and there were armoured counter-attacks. Landings continued, however, including tanks and other heavy equipment. The U.S. forces had a bridge across by the evening of 24 March.
Operation Varsity started at 10:00 on 24 March, to disrupt enemy communications. Despite heavy resistance to the airdrops and afterward, the airborne troops made progress and repelled counterattacks. The hard lessons of Operation Market Garden were applied. In the afternoon, 15th Scottish Division linked up with both airborne divisions.
Fierce German resistance continued around Bienen, north of Rees, where the entire 9th Canadian Brigade was needed to relieve the Black Watch. The bridgehead was firmly established, however, and Allied advantages in numbers and equipment were applied. By 27 March, the bridgehead was 35 mi (56 km) wide and 20 mi (32 km) deep.... More
Description (Central Europe Campaign 22 March to 11 May 1945) Following the Battle of the Bulge the Allies had pushed through to the Rhine. On 22 March 1945 they began their assault across the river, and by I Apr(Central Europe Campaign 22 March to 11 May 1945) Following the Battle of the Bulge the Allies had pushed through to the Rhine. On 22 March 1945 they began their assault across the river, and by I April the Ruhr was encircled. Armored columns raced across Germany and into Austria and Czechoslovakia. On 25 April, the day American and Russian forces met on the Elbe, strategic bombing operations came to an end. Germany surrendered on 7 May 1945 and operations officially came to an end the following day, although sporadic actions continued on the European front until 11 May.... More
Description
May 8, 1945 was decreed Victory in Europe Day although hostilities did not formally end until the following day. Fighting continued in Austria, Croatia and Czechoslovakia until May 14.
Description (Rhineland Campaign 15 September 1944 to 21 March 1945) Attempting to outflank the Siegfried Line, the Allies tried an airborne attack on Holland on 17 September 1944. But the operation failed, and th(Rhineland Campaign 15 September 1944 to 21 March 1945) Attempting to outflank the Siegfried Line, the Allies tried an airborne attack on Holland on 17 September 1944. But the operation failed, and the enemy was able to strengthen his defensive line from Holland to Switzerland. Little progress was made on the ground, but the aerial attacks on strategic targets continued. Then, having regained the initiative after defeating a German offensive in the Ardennes in December 1944, the Allies drove through to the Rhine, establishing a bridgehead across the river at Remagen.... More
Description The Siege of Bastogne was an engagement in December 1944 between American and German forces at the Belgian town of Bastogne, as part of the larger Battle of the Bulge. The goal of the German offensiveThe Siege of Bastogne was an engagement in December 1944 between American and German forces at the Belgian town of Bastogne, as part of the larger Battle of the Bulge. The goal of the German offensive was the harbour at Antwerp. In order to reach it before the Allies could regroup and bring their superior air power to bear, German mechanized forces had to seize the roadways through eastern Belgium. Because all seven main roads in the Ardennes mountain range converged on the small town of Bastogne, control of its crossroads was vital to the German attack. The siege lasted from December 20–27 when the besieged American forces were relieved by elements of General George Patton's Third Army.
Initial combat at Noville[edit]
On 19–20 December, the 1st Battalion of the 506th PIR was ordered to support Team Desobry (Maj. William R. Desobry), a battalion-sized tank-infantry task force of the 10th Armored Division assigned to defend Noville[7] located north-northeast of both Foy and of Bastogne just 4.36 mi (7.02 km) away. With just four M18 tank destroyers of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion to assist, the paratroopers attacked units of the 2. Panzerdivision, whose mission was to proceed by secondary roads via Monaville (just northwest of Bastogne) to seize a key highway and capture, among other objectives, fuel dumps — for the lack of which the overall German counter-offensive faltered and failed. Worried about the threat to its left flank in Bastogne, it organized a major combined arms attack to seize Noville. Team Desobry's high speed highway journey to reach the blocking position is one of the few documented cases wherein the legendary top speed of the M18 Hellcat (55 mph (89 km/h)) was actually used to get ahead of an enemy force as envisioned by its specifications.
The attack of 1st Battalion and the M18 Hellcat tank destroyers of the 705th TD Battalion together destroyed at least 30 German tanks and inflicted 500-1,000 casualties on the attacking forces in what amounted to a spoiling attack.[citation needed] A Military Channel expert historian[who?] credited the M18 tank destroyers with 24 kills, including several Tiger tanks, and believes that, in part, their ability to "shoot and scoot" at high speed and then reappear elsewhere on the battlefield and therefore appear to be another vehicle entirely played a large part in confusing and slowing the German attack, which subsequently stalled, leaving the Americans in possession of the town overnight. The 3rd Battalion was ordered forward from a reserve position north of Bastogne to ease the pressure on 1st Battalion by occupying a supporting position in Foy to the south.
The heavy losses inflicted by the tank-destroyers induced the German commander into believing the village was being held by a much stronger force[7] and he recoiled from further attacks on the village, committing a strategic error while seeking tactical advantage — significantly delaying the German advance and setting the stage for the Siege of Bastogne just to the south. This delay also gave the 101st Airborne Division enough time to organize defenses around Bastogne. After two days, the 2nd Panzer Division finally continued on its original mission to the Meuse River. As a consequence of its involvement at Bastogne, and its failure to dislodge the airborne forces, the column ultimately ran out of fuel at Celles, where it was destroyed by the U.S. 2nd Armored Division and the British 29th Armoured Brigade.
By the time the 1st Battalion pulled out of Noville on the 20th, the village of Foy half-way to Bastogne center had been captured from the 3rd Battalion by a separate attack, forcing the 1st Battalion to then fight its way through Foy. By the time 1st Battalion made it to the safety of American lines, it had lost 13 officers and 199 enlisted men, out of about 600 troops, and was assigned as the division reserve. Team Desobry lost a quarter of its troops and was reduced to just four medium tanks when it passed through the lines of 3rd Battalion.
Battle
19–23 December 1944
The 101st Airborne formed an all-round perimeter using the 502nd PIR on the northwest shoulder to block the 26th Volksgrenadier, the 506th PIR to block entry from Noville, the 501st PIR defending the eastern approach, and the 327th GIR scattered from Marvie in the southeast to Champs in the west along the southern perimeter, augmented by engineer and artillery units plugging gaps in the line. The division service area to the west of Bastogne had been raided the first night, causing the loss of almost its entire medical company, and numerous service troops were used as infantry to reinforce the thin lines. CCB of the 10th Armored Division, severely weakened by losses to its Team Desobry (Maj. William R. Desobry), Team Cherry (Lt. Col. Henry T. Cherry), and Team O'Hara (Lt. Col. James O'Hara) in delaying the Germans, formed a mobile "fire brigade" of 40 light and medium tanks (including survivors of CCR 9th Armored Division and eight replacement tanks found unassigned in Bastogne).
Three artillery battalions were commandeered and formed a temporary artillery group. Each had twelve 155 mm (6.1 in) howitzers, providing the division with heavy firepower in all directions restricted only by its limited ammunition supply. Col. Roberts, commanding CCB, also rounded up 600+ stragglers from the rout of VIII Corps and formed Team SNAFU as a further stopgap force.
As a result of the powerful American defense to the north and east, XLVII Panzer Corps commander Gen. von Lüttwitz decided to encircle Bastogne and strike from the south and southwest, beginning the night of 20/21 December. German panzer reconnaissance units had initial success, nearly overrunning the American artillery positions southwest of Bastogne before being stopped by a makeshift force. All seven highways leading to Bastogne were cut by German forces by noon of 21 December, and by nightfall the conglomeration of airborne and armored infantry forces were recognized by both sides as being surrounded.
The American soldiers were outnumbered approximately 5-1 and were lacking in cold-weather gear, ammunition, food, medical supplies, and senior leadership (as many senior officers, including the 101st's commander—Major General Maxwell Taylor—were elsewhere). Due to the worst winter weather in memory, the surrounded U.S. forces could not be resupplied by air nor was tactical air support available due to cloudy weather.
However, the two panzer divisions of the XLVII Panzer Corps—after using their mobility to isolate Bastogne, continued their mission towards the Meuse on 22 December, rather than attacking Bastogne with a single large force. They left just one regiment behind to assist the 26th Volksgrenadier Division in capturing the crossroads. The XLVII Panzer Corps probed different points of the southern and western defensive perimeter in echelon, where Bastogne was defended by just a single airborne regiment and support units doubling as infantry. This played into the American advantage of interior lines of communication; the defenders were able to shift artillery fire and move their limited ad hoc armored forces to meet each successive assault.
The 26th VG received one panzergrenadier regiment from the 15th Panzergrenadier Division on Christmas Eve for its main assault the next day. Because it lacked sufficient troops and those of the 26th VG Division were near exhaustion, the XLVII Panzer Corps concentrated its assault on several individual locations on the west side of perimeter in sequence rather than launching one simultaneous attack on all sides. The assault—led by 18 tanks carrying a battalion of infantry—pierced the lines of the 327th's 3rd Battalion (officially, the 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry), and advanced as far as the battalion command post at Hemroulle.
However, the 327th held its original positions and repulsed infantry assaults that followed, capturing 92 Germans. The panzers that had achieved the penetration divided into two columns, one trying to reach Champs from the rear, and were destroyed in detail by two companies of the 1st Battalion 502nd PIR under Lt. Col. Patrick F. Cassidy and four tank destroyers of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
Allied control of Bastogne was a major obstacle to the German armored advance, and the morale of Allied forces elsewhere on the Western Front was boosted by news of the stubborn defense of the besieged town.... More
Description The Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France and Luxembourg oThe Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945) was a major German offensive campaign launched through the densely forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium, France and Luxembourg on the Western Front toward the end of World War II in Europe. Hitler planned the offensive with the primary goal to recapture the important harbour of Antwerp. The surprise attack caught the Allied forces completely off guard. United States forces bore the brunt of the attack and incurred the highest casualties for any operation during the war. The battle also severely depleted Germany's war-making resources.
The battle was known by different names. The Germans referred to it as Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein ("Operation Watch on the Rhine"), while the French named it the Bataille des Ardennes ("Battle of the Ardennes"). The Allies called it the Ardennes Counteroffensive. The phrase "Battle of the Bulge" was coined by contemporary press to describe the way the Allied front line bulged inward on wartime news maps and became the best known name for the battle.
The German offensive was supported by several subordinate operations known as Unternehmen Bodenplatte, Greif, and Währung. As well as stopping Allied transport over the channel to the harbor of Antwerp, Germany also hoped these operations would split the British and American Allied line in half, and then proceed to encircle and destroy four Allied armies, forcing the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis Powers' favor. Once that was accomplished, Hitler could fully concentrate on the eastern theatre of war.
The offensive was planned by the German forces with the utmost secrecy, minimizing radio traffic and moving troops and equipment under cover of darkness. Despite their efforts to keep it secret, the Third U.S. Army's intelligence staff predicted a major German offensive, and Ultra indicated that a "substantial and offensive" operation was expected or "in the wind", although a precise date or point of attack could not be given. Aircraft movement from the Russian Front and transport of forces by rail, both to the Ardennes, was noticed but not acted upon, according to a report later written by Peter Calvocoressi and F. L. Lucas at the codebreaking centre Bletchley Park.
Near-complete surprise was achieved by a combination of Allied overconfidence, preoccupation with Allied offensive plans, and poor aerial reconnaissance. The Germans attacked a weakly defended section of the Allied line, taking advantage of heavily overcast weather conditions, which grounded the Allies' overwhelmingly superior air forces. Fierce resistance on the northern shoulder of the offensive around Elsenborn Ridge and in the south around Bastogne blocked German access to key roads to the northwest and west that they counted on for success; columns that were supposed to advance along parallel routes found themselves on the same roads. This and terrain that favored the defenders threw the German advance behind schedule and allowed the Allies to reinforce the thinly placed troops. Improved weather conditions permitted air attacks on German forces and supply lines, which sealed the failure of the offensive. In the wake of the defeat, many experienced German units were left severely depleted of men and equipment, as survivors retreated to the defenses of the Siegfried Line.
About 610,000 American forces were involved in the battle,[2] and 89,000 were casualties, including 19,000 killed. It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in World War II.... More
Description (Ardennes Alsace Campaign 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945) During their offensive in the Ardennes the Germans drove into Belgium and Luxembourg, creating a great bulge in the line. For some time (Ardennes Alsace Campaign 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945) During their offensive in the Ardennes the Germans drove into Belgium and Luxembourg, creating a great bulge in the line. For some time the weather was bad, but when it cleared the Allies could send their planes to assist their ground forces by bombing and strafing the enemy’s columns, dropping paratroops and supplies, and interdicting the enemy’s lines of communications. By the end of January 1945 the lost ground had been regained and the Battle of the Bulge, the last great German offensive, was over.... More
Best Friends
Lynn ?Buck? Compton, Donald ?Don? Malarkey, Darrell ?Shifty? Powers and Earl ?One Lung? McClung, "Popeye" Winn, Floyd Talbert
Other Memories
Growing up in Depression-era Clinchco wasn?t too bad a life, at least Darrell Powers didn?t think so. But he probably didn?t think he and a group of buddies would end up fighting the German Army across much of Europe, or that he and his pals would become famous thanks to a book ?Band of Brothers? by Stephen Ambrose and a 10-part mini-series movie produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks (which originally aired on HBO), either.
?When I was a boy, everybody had a garden. Every family kept a cow, raised hogs, raised most of what they needed. Seemed like we got by all right,? Powers, a new member of Marion?s VFW post, said. ?Back then there wasn?t a lot of radio and no television at all. We entertained ourselves. We did a lot of squirrel hunting. We?d run through the woods. We played a lot of ball. It wasn?t a bad life for a boy like me.?
And like everywhere else, there was school. Powers liked school because got to play basketball. In fact, he got his nickname, ?Shifty,? from his outstanding basketball play. After graduating from the local high school, Powers decided to go to technical school.
?Back then, the schools around here didn?t have any vocational schools. But I found out there was one in Norfolk that was sponsored by the government and I thought I?d give it a try,? Powers said. ?So I went off to Norfolk and started training to be a machinist. I liked it pretty well and seemed to be pretty good at it.?
Life seemed to be moving right along for Powers. But then a hitch in his plans popped up. On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, an act that drew the United States into what was fast becoming World War II.
?After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they (the government) moved all of us from the school over to the Navy Shipyard at Portsmouth, to do work on the ships there. I worked there as a machinist for a while, I liked the work. But then we heard that the government was getting ready to freeze our jobs there meaning we?d have to stay there until the war was over. My buddy ?Popeye? (Robert Wynn, a fellow Virginian from South Hill) and me wanted to join the military so we went and signed up for the Army before we got stuck at the shipyard. We volunteered for paratrooper school.?
According to Powers, although he was 18 by then, a parent had to sign for him to join the paratroopers. He didn?t want his parents to know he was volunteering for what was considered somewhat dangerous duty. His father signed for him, but was somewhat upset when he discovered what Powers would be doing.
Powers and his fellow paratroopers were originally sent to Camp Pickett in Virginia where they got their basic physicals and their numerous shots and immunizations, but soon shipped out to Camp Toccoa, Georgia, where their actual training took place. Although the training was rigorous and physically demanding, Powers enjoyed learning to parachute from a plane.
?Even though we had had complete physicals already, when we got to Toccoa, we had to go through it all over again. And these were a little different,? Powers said. ?They had different regulations for paratroopers. You had to be so tall but not too tall. So big but not too big (weight-wise). You had to have good hearing. You couldn?t have had any broken bones, even though they had healed. That eliminated a lot of boys that had played football in school. You pretty much had to be in prime condition.?
?They don?t just throw a parachute on you, take you up, and expect you to jump out of a plane. They train you in steps. First thing you do, they have a mock-up of a plane that you climb into and practice jumping out. It?s about two feet off the ground,? Powers said. ?They teach you jump, land, and roll when you hit. Everybody thinks jumping out of a plane is hard but it?s not.?
?And parachuting to the ground isn?t hard either. If you jump out of an airplane you?re going to hit the ground, one way or another.? Powers laughed. ?The hard part back then was landing. Nowadays they have a different type of chute and they can land fairly soft, but back then, with the chutes we had, you hit the ground pretty hard. They taught us to yell Geronimo when we jumped. It was supposed to take our mind off jumping, but it didn?t work for me, so the instructors told me to yell Currahee (The men of the 506th were nicknamed the Currahees after the Currahee Mountain at Camp Toccoa), but that didn?t help either. They finally told me to just yell anything I wanted. Well I finally found something I could yell and it kind of distracted me, I?d yell ?Oh S_ _ t what am I doing here.? It worked for me? Currahee is Cherokee for ?Stands alone.? Powers and his fellow Currahees adopted it as a unit motto.
The training took place in stages. After the first jumps, Powers said they moved up to a tower about 35 feet tall. There they were actually hooked to a line that let them jump and fall about 15 feet then slide down the line. Next was a tower 250 feet tall. Here they wore actual parachutes. The chutes were open. The trainees were hooked to a hoist which raised them to the top of the tower then dropped them so they could get used to the feel of a parachute. The men of Easy Company saw their first action during the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
?We were supposed to drop behind the enemy lines. But they missed the dropped zone by 12 to 14 miles. We came down right in the middle of the German Army. It helped that the Germans didn?t know where we were. We didn?t even know where we were. It took us a day and a half to get back to where we were supposed to be,? Powers said. ?We finally got back to the beach. We were supposed to be there for three days; 30 days later they transported us back to England to train for our next mission.? Easy Company lost 54 men who were killed in action on D-Day.
Powers and the rest of Easy Company spent the next couple of months getting more training in preparation for their next mission. On Sept. 17, 1944, as part of Operation Market Garden, they dropped into Holland. They would spend the next three months there fighting the German troops, as they liberated the town of Eindhoven. The U.S. forces met stiff resistance at the town of Nuenen where they met a large German force with lots of heavy artillery. Easy Company suffered several losses during the fighting there.
?After we left Holland, we went to Rheims, France, to pick up replacements for our troops that were killed or wounded. And we needed to re-supply with ammo, food, clothing, things like that,? Powers said. ?But we no sooner got there than they loaded us on trucks and we took off for Bastogne. The trucks were so crowded you had to stand up. You could sit down. By the time we got there, we were worn out, low on ammo, low on food and clothing. It was cold there, and we didn?t have any winter clothes with us.?
?The Germans formed a big circle around the town and they had lots of troops and lots of artillery. They had us outnumbered and had lots more artillery too. They really pounded us with their artillery. What they?d do is they shell one section of the town, then they?d attack there. We?d rush our troops and what artillery we had to that place. They?d shell another place and attack that point. We?d rush everything we had there. It kept them fooled. They never did realize how much they had us outmanned or we?d have had it. We didn?t have much artillery and not much ammo for what we did have. The Germans would pound us, they shelled us constantly and our boys couldn?t really let loose on them since they had to conserve what ammo we had. And we didn?t have much of anything bigger than a bazooka. We didn?t have anything that would handle their biggest tanks. The problem was it wasn?t our (the 101st Airborne) artillery. It was a small company that was already at Bastogne.?
?In my opinion, Bastogne was the toughest fight we had. Between being outnumbered and outmanned, and short on food and ammo and no clothes it was real rough. We lost some men to frostbite; some died. I figured it was a toss-up whether I?d die from being shot by the Germans or just freeze to death,? Powers said. ?But it?s kind of strange to say, but I almost enjoyed that fight. I knew we were better soldiers. We were better trained. We were in better shape. The Germans had taken to drafting anybody they could get. They had old men and young boys. We may have been short on ammo but what equipment we had was better than theirs. We were just better fighters.? The U.S. troops triumphed once Gen. George Patton and his tank corps broke through the line and brought the much-needed supplies.
Powers must have been right about being a good fighter. By the time he was fighting in Germany he had been promoted to Staff Sergeant. ?I started out making $21 a month. I got a raise up to $50 and then to $54. That was pretty good money back then,? Powers laughed.
Bastogne was part of the Battle of the Bulge. The Germans kept the town under siege for a month. Because of the worst winter weather in years, The U.S. troops get few supplies by air. It was their acting commander, Brigadier general Anthony McAuliffe, who when informed that the German commander demanded his surrender replied to the messenger, ?Nuts.? The German translator allegedly translated this as ?You go to Hell.? Either way, the sentiment was the same.
After the Battle of Bastogne, Easy Company continued fighting through Germany and eventually captured the Berteschgarten, Hitler?s secret mountain retreat known as the Eagle Nest.
?Some of our boys found a concentration camp on their way to Berteschgarten, but we were divided into three companies and my company didn?t go there. From what some of them told me, I just real glad I didn?t see what they saw,? Powers said. ?Once we had Berteschgarten, we fought our way to Austria, but the war was winding down and was over soon after we got there.?
?I was in the army three years, one month and a couple of days,? Powers said. ?I was glad to see home. But you know something that puzzles me? In just about three years, we went into the army, exercised, trained, fought and won a war and came home. Our boys have been in Iraq three years now. They can?t come home because the Iraqi army boys can?t do the job and do their own fighting yet? I just believe that as long as our boys are there to do their fighting for them they won?t ever learn to help themselves.?
After the war, Powers returned to his beloved Clinchco. Although his father encouraged him to use his G.I. Bill rights to go to college he did not. ?I told my Dad that I was too old for college. He said I wasn?t any older than a lot of students,? Powers said. ?But what I meant was I was older in my mind. What me and my buddies went through made me feel older that way. I probably should have listened to my Dad.?
Being a machinist, he opened a repair shop. A few years later, in 1954, he decided to move to California, where he lived for three years before returning to his beloved mountain home in Clinchco where he remains today.
Numerous reference sources state that Easy Company was one of the premier fighting forces in U.S. military history. If they were all like Shifty Powers, it is easy to understand why.
Criteria The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding ac... The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement, or by meritorious service not involving aerial flight. MoreHide
Criteria The Presidential Unit Citation may be awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or aft... The Presidential Unit Citation may be awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and cobelligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after December 7, 1941. MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, ... The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for for qualifying service within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946, under any of the following conditions: On permanent assignment within the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater; or, For service in a passenger status or on temporary duty status for 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service in active combat in the European-African-Middle Eastern Theater of Operations against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat. MoreHide
Criteria The Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 (War Cross 1939-1945) is a French military decoration, a version of the Croix de Guerre created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against... The Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 (War Cross 1939-1945) is a French military decoration, a version of the Croix de Guerre created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis force at any time during World War II. MoreHide
Criteria The Belgian Croix de Guerre is awarded for bravery or other military virtue on the battlefield. The award was re established on 20 July 1940 by the Belgian government in exile for recognition of brave... The Belgian Croix de Guerre is awarded for bravery or other military virtue on the battlefield. The award was re established on 20 July 1940 by the Belgian government in exile for recognition of bravery and military virtue during World War II.[2] The post-1940 decoration could also be awarded to units that were cited. MoreHide
Description The Normandy landings (codenamed Operation Neptune) were the landing operations on 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The largest The Normandy landings (codenamed Operation Neptune) were the landing operations on 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The largest seaborne invasion in history, the operation began the invasion of German-occupied western Europe, led to the restoration of the French Republic, and contributed to an Allied victory in the war.
Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal, but postponing would have meant a delay of at least two weeks, as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days in each month were deemed suitable. Hitler placed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in command of German forces and of developing fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.
The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault—the landing of 24,000 British, US, and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight. Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France starting at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beach. Strong winds blew the landing craft east of their intended positions, particularly at Utah and Omaha. The men landed under heavy fire from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire, making the work of the beach clearing teams difficult and dangerous. Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. At Gold, Juno, and Sword, several fortified towns were cleared in house-to-house fighting, and two major gun emplacements at Gold were disabled using specialised tanks.
The Allies failed to achieve all of their goals on the first day. Carentan, St. Lô, and Bayeux remained in German hands, and Caen, a major objective, was not captured until 21 July. Only two of the beaches (Juno and Gold) were linked on the first day, and all five bridgeheads were not connected until 12 June. However, the operation gained a foothold that the Allies gradually expanded over the coming months. German casualties on D-Day were around 1,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. Museums, memorials, and war cemeteries in the area host many visitors each year.... More
Description (Northern France Campaign 25 July to 14 September 1944) Bombardment along a five-mile stretch of the German line enabled the Allies to break through on 25 July. While some armored forces drove southwa(Northern France Campaign 25 July to 14 September 1944) Bombardment along a five-mile stretch of the German line enabled the Allies to break through on 25 July. While some armored forces drove southward into Brittany, others fanned out to the east and, overcoming a desperate counterattack, executed a pincers movement that trapped many Germans in a pocket at Falaise. The enemy fell back on the Siegfried Line, and by mid-September 1944 nearly all of France had been liberated. During these operations in France, while light and medium bombers and fighter-bomber aircraft of Ninth Air Force had been engaged in close support and interdictory operations, Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces had continued their strategic bombing.... More
Description "35,000 troops, 11,377 dead, wounded or missing, 6,450 captured. Objective was to secure series of bridges over main rivers of German occupied Netherlands. Strategic purpose was to allow allied crossi"35,000 troops, 11,377 dead, wounded or missing, 6,450 captured. Objective was to secure series of bridges over main rivers of German occupied Netherlands. Strategic purpose was to allow allied crossing of the Rhine River. The last natural barrier... More
Criteria The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or,... The American Campaign Medal was awarded for For thirty days service outside the Continental United States but within the American Theater of Operations between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946; or, an aggregate service of one year within the Continental United States during the same period under the following circumstances: On permanent assignment outside the continental limits of the United States; or, On permanent assignment as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters for a period of 30 consecutive days or 60 non-consecutive days; or, For service outside the continental limits of the United States in a passenger status or on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 non consecutive days; or, For service in active combat against the enemy and awarded a combat decoration or furnished a certificate by the commanding general of a corps, higher unit, or independent force that the individual actually participated in combat; or, For service within the continental limits of the United States for an aggregate period of one year. MoreHide
Criteria a. The ADSM was established by EO 8808, announced in War Department Bulletin 17, 1941. It is awarded for service between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941 under orders to active duty for a period o... a. The ADSM was established by EO 8808, announced in War Department Bulletin 17, 1941. It is awarded for service between 8 September 1939 and 7 December 1941 under orders to active duty for a period of 12 months or longer.
b. A clasp, with the inscription "Foreign Service", is worn on the ADSM to denote service outside the continental limits of the United States, including service in Alaska, as a member of a crew of a vessel sailing ocean waters, flights over ocean waters, or as an assigned member of an organization stationed outside the continental limits of the United States. Possession of a clasp is denoted by the wearing of a bronze service star on the service ribbon. MoreHide
Lynn ?Buck? Compton, Donald ?Don? Malarkey, Darrell ?Shifty? Powers and Earl ?One Lung? McClung, "Popeye" Winn, Floyd Talbert
Growing up in Depression-era Clinchco wasn?t too bad a life, at least Darrell Powers didn?t think so. But he probably didn?t think he and a group of buddies would end up fighting the German Army across much of Europe, or that he and his pals would become famous thanks to a book ?Band of Brothers? by Stephen Ambrose and a 10-part mini-series movie produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks (which originally aired on HBO), either.
?When I was a boy, everybody had a garden. Every family kept a cow, raised hogs, raised most of what they needed. Seemed like we got by all right,? Powers, a new member of Marion?s VFW post, said. ?Back then there wasn?t a lot of radio and no television at all. We entertained ourselves. We did a lot of squirrel hunting. We?d run through the woods. We played a lot of ball. It wasn?t a bad life for a boy like me.?
And like everywhere else, there was school. Powers liked school because got to play basketball. In fact, he got his nickname, ?Shifty,? from his outstanding basketball play. After graduating from the local high school, Powers decided to go to technical school.
?Back then, the schools around here didn?t have any vocational schools. But I found out there was one in Norfolk that was sponsored by the government and I thought I?d give it a try,? Powers said. ?So I went off to Norfolk and started training to be a machinist. I liked it pretty well and seemed to be pretty good at it.?
Life seemed to be moving right along for Powers. But then a hitch in his plans popped up. On Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, an act that drew the United States into what was fast becoming World War II.
?After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they (the government) moved all of us from the school over to the Navy Shipyard at Portsmouth, to do work on the ships there. I worked there as a machinist for a while, I liked the work. But then we heard that the government was getting ready to freeze our jobs there meaning we?d have to stay there until the war was over. My buddy ?Popeye? (Robert Wynn, a fellow Virginian from South Hill) and me wanted to join the military so we went and signed up for the Army before we got stuck at the shipyard. We volunteered for paratrooper school.?
According to Powers, although he was 18 by then, a parent had to sign for him to join the paratroopers. He didn?t want his parents to know he was volunteering for what was considered somewhat dangerous duty. His father signed for him, but was somewhat upset when he discovered what Powers would be doing.
Powers and his fellow paratroopers were originally sent to Camp Pickett in Virginia where they got their basic physicals and their numerous shots and immunizations, but soon shipped out to Camp Toccoa, Georgia, where their actual training took place. Although the training was rigorous and physically demanding, Powers enjoyed learning to parachute from a plane.
?Even though we had had complete physicals already, when we got to Toccoa, we had to go through it all over again. And these were a little different,? Powers said. ?They had different regulations for paratroopers. You had to be so tall but not too tall. So big but not too big (weight-wise). You had to have good hearing. You couldn?t have had any broken bones, even though they had healed. That eliminated a lot of boys that had played football in school. You pretty much had to be in prime condition.?
?They don?t just throw a parachute on you, take you up, and expect you to jump out of a plane. They train you in steps. First thing you do, they have a mock-up of a plane that you climb into and practice jumping out. It?s about two feet off the ground,? Powers said. ?They teach you jump, land, and roll when you hit. Everybody thinks jumping out of a plane is hard but it?s not.?
?And parachuting to the ground isn?t hard either. If you jump out of an airplane you?re going to hit the ground, one way or another.? Powers laughed. ?The hard part back then was landing. Nowadays they have a different type of chute and they can land fairly soft, but back then, with the chutes we had, you hit the ground pretty hard. They taught us to yell Geronimo when we jumped. It was supposed to take our mind off jumping, but it didn?t work for me, so the instructors told me to yell Currahee (The men of the 506th were nicknamed the Currahees after the Currahee Mountain at Camp Toccoa), but that didn?t help either. They finally told me to just yell anything I wanted. Well I finally found something I could yell and it kind of distracted me, I?d yell ?Oh S_ _ t what am I doing here.? It worked for me? Currahee is Cherokee for ?Stands alone.? Powers and his fellow Currahees adopted it as a unit motto.
The training took place in stages. After the first jumps, Powers said they moved up to a tower about 35 feet tall. There they were actually hooked to a line that let them jump and fall about 15 feet then slide down the line. Next was a tower 250 feet tall. Here they wore actual parachutes. The chutes were open. The trainees were hooked to a hoist which raised them to the top of the tower then dropped them so they could get used to the feel of a parachute. The men of Easy Company saw their first action during the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
?We were supposed to drop behind the enemy lines. But they missed the dropped zone by 12 to 14 miles. We came down right in the middle of the German Army. It helped that the Germans didn?t know where we were. We didn?t even know where we were. It took us a day and a half to get back to where we were supposed to be,? Powers said. ?We finally got back to the beach. We were supposed to be there for three days; 30 days later they transported us back to England to train for our next mission.? Easy Company lost 54 men who were killed in action on D-Day.
Powers and the rest of Easy Company spent the next couple of months getting more training in preparation for their next mission. On Sept. 17, 1944, as part of Operation Market Garden, they dropped into Holland. They would spend the next three months there fighting the German troops, as they liberated the town of Eindhoven. The U.S. forces met stiff resistance at the town of Nuenen where they met a large German force with lots of heavy artillery. Easy Company suffered several losses during the fighting there.
?After we left Holland, we went to Rheims, France, to pick up replacements for our troops that were killed or wounded. And we needed to re-supply with ammo, food, clothing, things like that,? Powers said. ?But we no sooner got there than they loaded us on trucks and we took off for Bastogne. The trucks were so crowded you had to stand up. You could sit down. By the time we got there, we were worn out, low on ammo, low on food and clothing. It was cold there, and we didn?t have any winter clothes with us.?
?The Germans formed a big circle around the town and they had lots of troops and lots of artillery. They had us outnumbered and had lots more artillery too. They really pounded us with their artillery. What they?d do is they shell one section of the town, then they?d attack there. We?d rush our troops and what artillery we had to that place. They?d shell another place and attack that point. We?d rush everything we had there. It kept them fooled. They never did realize how much they had us outmanned or we?d have had it. We didn?t have much artillery and not much ammo for what we did have. The Germans would pound us, they shelled us constantly and our boys couldn?t really let loose on them since they had to conserve what ammo we had. And we didn?t have much of anything bigger than a bazooka. We didn?t have anything that would handle their biggest tanks. The problem was it wasn?t our (the 101st Airborne) artillery. It was a small company that was already at Bastogne.?
?In my opinion, Bastogne was the toughest fight we had. Between being outnumbered and outmanned, and short on food and ammo and no clothes it was real rough. We lost some men to frostbite; some died. I figured it was a toss-up whether I?d die from being shot by the Germans or just freeze to death,? Powers said. ?But it?s kind of strange to say, but I almost enjoyed that fight. I knew we were better soldiers. We were better trained. We were in better shape. The Germans had taken to drafting anybody they could get. They had old men and young boys. We may have been short on ammo but what equipment we had was better than theirs. We were just better fighters.? The U.S. troops triumphed once Gen. George Patton and his tank corps broke through the line and brought the much-needed supplies.
Powers must have been right about being a good fighter. By the time he was fighting in Germany he had been promoted to Staff Sergeant. ?I started out making $21 a month. I got a raise up to $50 and then to $54. That was pretty good money back then,? Powers laughed.
Bastogne was part of the Battle of the Bulge. The Germans kept the town under siege for a month. Because of the worst winter weather in years, The U.S. troops get few supplies by air. It was their acting commander, Brigadier general Anthony McAuliffe, who when informed that the German commander demanded his surrender replied to the messenger, ?Nuts.? The German translator allegedly translated this as ?You go to Hell.? Either way, the sentiment was the same.
After the Battle of Bastogne, Easy Company continued fighting through Germany and eventually captured the Berteschgarten, Hitler?s secret mountain retreat known as the Eagle Nest.
?Some of our boys found a concentration camp on their way to Berteschgarten, but we were divided into three companies and my company didn?t go there. From what some of them told me, I just real glad I didn?t see what they saw,? Powers said. ?Once we had Berteschgarten, we fought our way to Austria, but the war was winding down and was over soon after we got there.?
?I was in the army three years, one month and a couple of days,? Powers said. ?I was glad to see home. But you know something that puzzles me? In just about three years, we went into the army, exercised, trained, fought and won a war and came home. Our boys have been in Iraq three years now. They can?t come home because the Iraqi army boys can?t do the job and do their own fighting yet? I just believe that as long as our boys are there to do their fighting for them they won?t ever learn to help themselves.?
After the war, Powers returned to his beloved Clinchco. Although his father encouraged him to use his G.I. Bill rights to go to college he did not. ?I told my Dad that I was too old for college. He said I wasn?t any older than a lot of students,? Powers said. ?But what I meant was I was older in my mind. What me and my buddies went through made me feel older that way. I probably should have listened to my Dad.?
Being a machinist, he opened a repair shop. A few years later, in 1954, he decided to move to California, where he lived for three years before returning to his beloved mountain home in Clinchco where he remains today.
Numerous reference sources state that Easy Company was one of the premier fighting forces in U.S. military history. If they were all like Shifty Powers, it is easy to understand why.