What Is It We Really Value?

By Rich Kozlovich

On Thursday this article, Mexican zoo shocked after beloved gorilla Bantu dies, which made world headlines appearing in the London Telegraph saying, "Mexico City's zoo was in shock on Thursday after its beloved male gorilla died as veterinarians prepared to transport him to another city to mate with two females." 

Worldwide headlines - over an ape! 

There was no malice, nor was there any indication of incompetent treatment, and Bantu's death made worldwide headlines.  Yet, as of today at 7:10 AM there were 895 abortions performed in the United States and 32, 828 worldwide.  Not one headline!  We have lost our sense of values.  We no longer have a solid moral foundation by which we judge that which is right, wrong or even proper.  Where are our priorities?  

Earlier this week my friend Mike Grace sent an article entitled, "Shifty"....... presumably by Chuck Yeager.  Well, I get these a lot and I like to find a web source that I can link - and that usually gets me deeper into the subject.  Sometimes the articles are false, or not written by those we think they're written by, or not accurate - and then I dump them.   

This article was not published.  It was a private e-mail sent to Shifty's family that took off, and this article wasn't by Chuch Yeager.  According to Shifty's family it was sent to them on July 7, 2009 by  Mark Pfiefer.   "Pfiefer, who worked for Dow Jones at the time he met "Shifty," said today he had no idea the e-mail would take on a life of its own. He just wanted those who received his e-mail to hold a private moment of silence?"  "I found out this morning that some took it literally," he said, "and now thousands of people have been organized into a virtual memorial service for Shifty on July 20th. It will be on Twitter, Facebook, and a host of other social networking sites."

I'm going to share it with you because - it did happen, the story is true, and the facts are accurate. And for those who think "A Band of Brothers" was the greatest war story ever told - this will resonate with you.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and 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 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 is, 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.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France , and he said "Yes... And it's real sad because, these days, so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say. I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in coach while I was in First Class.

I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach. He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and who still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it.And mine are brimming up now as I write this. Shifty died on Jan. l7, 2012 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.

When I see the insanity in today's news I can't help but wonder if the Shifty's of the world would have dropped into Normandy or stormed Normandy's beaches if they could have seen the future.  It breaks my heart when I think how so many young men overcame their fears and willingly sacrificed themselves ...and here we are. 

We've lost our minds, and the Shifty's of the world are passing away.  On February 13th I posted this article, Band of Brothers - Theme, 'Requiem for a Soldier', and The Last Scene. 

As far as I can find there's only 16 left alive of Easy Company - all in their 90's.  "The oldest living Easy Company member is Donald Malarkey, aged 94, and the youngest is Don Bond aged 90".  Many of the original Easy Company men who trained together from the beginning never made it home.  "As First Sergeant Lipton describes, Easy Company entered Belgium with 145 soldiers. After the Battle of the Bulge, they had 63."  That doesn't count those lost from the original Easy Company from D-Day until the Battle of the Bulge.  It's my feeling not many of the original group who first trained together went back to their homes.  When you listen to the interviews you can see why they all talk about the ones who were left behind as the real heros.  They lost so many.

Before listening to Kathrine Jenkins sing the words (lyrics added below) to the theme for Band of Brothers.  Please watch - The last scene - of the Band of Brothers first.

 Band of Brothers - Main Title 'Requiem for a Soldier' Song

 

Lyrics sung by Katherine Jenkins

You never lived to see
What you gave to me
One shining dream of hope and love
Life and liberty
With a host of brave unknown soldiers
For your company you will live forever
Here in our memory

 

In fields of sacrifice
Heroes paid the price
Young men who died for old men's wars
Gone to paradise
We are all one great band of brothers
And one day you'll see we can live together
When all the world is free

 

When all the world is free

When all the world is free

 

I wish you'd lived to see
All you gave to me
Your shining dream of hope and love
Life and liberty
We are all one great band of brothers
And one day you'll see - we can live together
When all the world is free

 

Songwriters: FRANK MUSKER, MICHAEL KAMEN

© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

For non-commercial use only.

Data from: LyricFind