02-15-2014, 09:15
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#1
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: NorCal
Posts: 15,370
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MG (Ret) Robert L. Shirkey
Alamo Scout, DMOR 1st SF Regiment. Retired MG Robert L. Shirkey, Alamo Scout Team Leader (Team Shirkey), died peacefully in his sleep on February 13, 2014 at the age of 89 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was one of the two remaining living Alamo Scout Team Leaders.
RIP, Sir.
Richard
From his DMOR citation:
While serving in the Pacific area of operations, he volunteered to join the Alamo Scouts and served under General Walter Krueger. He graduated from the Alamo Scouts Training Center in 1945, and became one of only 21 officers to lead an Alamo Scout team on combat missions during World War II. Shirkey led his team on special missions on the island of Luzon, Philippines, through the summer of 1945.
On a mission of particular import to Gen. Krueger and Gen. Douglas MacArthur, then Lt. Shirkey and his team, moved 65 miles behind the Japanese lines to confirm the presence of Japanese General Yamashita on the island. The team captured a Japanese officer, and evacuated him back to American-held
territory, where he confirmed to U.S. Army Intelligence that Gen. Yamashita was in direct command on the island.
Later that year, Lt. Shirkey was ordered to take his team and link-up with 200 Filipino guerrillas and then land the guerrillas on the beach in Palanan Bay with the help of the two U.S. Navy LCIs and two gunboats. When the ramp went down, the guerrilla leader balked at the idea. Shirkey moved past the guerrilla leader and led his team and the guerrillas in a successful combat beach assault. He then led the force inland where they engaged and eliminated the enemy.
He ultimately led six special-operations combat missions, including back-to-back deep-penetration missions around Bontoc and Atok, Luzon, that resulted in one of the longest periods spent behind Japanese lines of any Alamo Scout team. Later Lt. Shirkey returned to the 158th RCT (Bushmasters) to help spearhead the invasion of Japan. After the Japanese surrender, Lt. Shirkey landed on the Japanese island of Honshu.
At Utsunomiya in the Tochigi Prefecture, Japanese General Seiki, commander of the 6th Imperial Japanese Army, personally surrendered to Lt. Shirkey by presenting his centuries-old samurai sword to him. The sword is now on display in the World War II exhibits of the National Infantry Museum, Fort Benning, Ga.
(Cont'd) http://www.soc.mil/swcS/RegimentalHo...sf_shirkey.pdf
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Richard is offline
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02-15-2014, 11:32
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#2
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Jan 2004
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RIP, General.
Thank you for your service, and your sacrifice.
You will not be forgotten.
TR
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The Reaper is offline
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02-15-2014, 11:58
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#3
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Quiet Professional
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Rest in Peace General........
You will be never forgotten !!!!
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SF_BHT is offline
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02-15-2014, 12:10
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#4
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Quiet Professional
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Rest in Peace Sir. DOL
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Joker is offline
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02-16-2014, 05:37
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#5
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Quiet Professional
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Savannah, GA
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RIP.
My father in law served with the Bushmasters in the PI and onto the occupation of Japan.
From looking at the declassified invasion plans, LT Shirkey and my father in law and the rest of the 158th RCT would have been sacrificed most likely to a man but for the two atomic bombs.
Glad that MG Shirkey made it to enjoy his old age.
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02-16-2014, 05:50
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#6
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Quiet Professional
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RIP MG Shirkey, Vaya con Dios.
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02-16-2014, 06:49
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#7
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Rest In Peace General, and thank you for paving the way for generations of those who stove, and continue to strive, to walk your path.
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02-16-2014, 08:42
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#8
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RIP, General.
Prayers to your family and friends.
Blue skies and soft landings.
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MtnGoat is offline
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02-17-2014, 14:13
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#9
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Area Commander
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Rest In Peace and Thank You
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akv is offline
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02-18-2014, 05:36
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#10
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Quiet Professional
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Rest in peace.
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full cooler is offline
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02-18-2014, 20:00
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#11
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Thanks for leading the way. RIP
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It's Never Crowded Along the Extra Mile - Wayne Dyer
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MR2 is offline
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02-19-2014, 09:04
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#12
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Guerrilla
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Behind Enemy Lines
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RIP Sir
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02-19-2014, 09:08
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#13
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Quiet Professional
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RIP Sir.
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Chairborne64 is offline
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02-23-2014, 16:56
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#14
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Area Commander
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Western WI
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RIP Sir. I recall reading of him in Shadows in the Jungle. 65 miles in & still wanted to keep looking but they pulled them out. Some huevos.
Salud.
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