Michael Jackson had nationwide funeral. Why not Mr Shifty Powers

Michael JacksonMichael Jackson had a national funeral. All the dignitaries showed up in full force. Here is a man named "Mr Shifty Powers" who should, of all people have a nationwide funeral!

I know, before you say or think anything, I can already read your mind. Your thinking who in the world is Mr Shifty Powell. Let me tell you who this man is, he is a great American hero.

Not much has been written about this man, but he died the same month that MJ died. I'm going to paste a letter onto this post and let you read it for yourself. I have just seen a post about Volunteering, this is what it truly means!

While everyone was busy with Michael Jackson, here is the funeral you should have been thinking about.

We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.

I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWIIand 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 was, 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.

Shifty died on June 17 [2009 in] 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.