Powers, Shifty (1923 - 2009); Powers jumped into Normandy on D-Day. Missing his drop zone, he joined two others from the company and the three linked up with Easy Company several days
later to fight in Carentan. Powers participated in the Allied military operation Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. Powers also fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium.
On 29 December 1944, when Easy Company was staying in the woods, Powers noticed a tree that was not there just the day before and reported it to First Sergeant Carwood Lipton. The "tree"
was ultimately discovered to be part of the camouflage the Germans put up for their anti-aircraft battery. Lipton got approval for full battery fire to attack the area despite the short
supply of artillery ammunition and the area was deserted within an hour. Many lives were probably saved with the destruction of the German anti-aircraft battery. Lipton commented, "It all
happened, because Shifty saw a tree almost a mile away that hadn't been there the day before." It was one of Powers' most truly remarkable achievements and a testament to the extraordinary
gifts his backwoods upbringing brought to Easy Company. On 13 January 1945, when Easy Company was attacking Foy, several of the men were pinned down by a sniper that nobody could locate.
Suddenly, Powers yelled, "I see him!" and fired his rifle, killing the sniper. Later, when Carwood Lipton and Wynn found the sniper's corpse, they were shocked to see the bullet hole centered
in the middle of his forehead. Wynn commented, "You know, it just doesn't pay to be shootin' at Shifty when he's got a rifle." Powers was one of the very few who was never wounded in combat.
It was for this reason that Powers lacked the sufficient points to return home under the military point system, although he was there every day when Easy Company fought on the line. Powers joined the lottery that was organized to allow one man from each company to return home early on a furlough. During the trip to the airfield, the vehicle that Shifty was in was involved in an accident and he was badly injured. He spent many months recuperating in hospitals overseas while his comrades in arms arrived home long before he did. 3"x5" card. $40.00