| Nickname(s) "Ed" Name Edward Shames | Rank Colonel Allegiance United States | |
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| Born June 13, 1922 (age 93)
Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States (1922-06-13) Battles/wars World War II Operation Overlord Operation Market Garden Battle of the Bulge Relations David Shames, father Sadie Shames, mother Anna Shames, sister Simmie Shames, sister George Shames, brother Unit E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment Battles and wars Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden, Battle of the Bulge, World War II | ||
Service number 13117836 (enlisted) Service/branch United States Army | ||
Avc oral history colonel edward shames 101st airborne on d day
Colonel Edward D. Shames (born June 13, 1922) is a retired United States Army enlisted man and officer who later served in the U.S. Army Reserve. During World War II he was assigned to the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Shames is the last surviving officer of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Contents
- Avc oral history colonel edward shames 101st airborne on d day
- Early life
- World War II
- Post war
- In popular culture
- References
Early life
Shames was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the son of David and Sadie Shames. His father died when he was five.
World War II
Shames read about and applied for duty with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In August 1942, Shames was called to active duty. He was sent to Toccoa, Georgia for training, starting as a private in Item Company, 3rd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
In England, Shames was promoted to Operations Sergeant. Prior to the paratroopers making their jump on D-Day, he built the sand tables the airborne unit used in planning the airdrop into Normandy.
Shames made his first combat jump into Normandy on D-Day as part of Operation Overlord. On 13 June 1944, he received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant, although the formal commission was completed in England. He was the first NCO in the Third Battalion to receive such a commission in Normandy. He was transferred to Easy Company and took charge of its third platoon.
Shames fought with Easy Company in Operation Market Garden and volunteered for Operation Pegasus led by Frederick Heyliger. He was wounded once in his left leg during the campaigns. He then fought with the rest of E Company in the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne. In Foy, Shames and Paul Rogers knocked out a German tank with a bazooka. In Germany, he saw some of the concentration camps in which the Germans imprisoned Europe's Jews and was deeply affected, because he is Jewish.
Post-war
After World War II, he served in the Army Reserve and retired as a colonel.
In popular culture
Shames was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Joseph May.