Professional Soldiers ® - Last Surviving E-2/506th Officer Passes

Quote:

Col. Edward Shames, final surviving member of the World War II parachute infantry regiment known as the “Band of Brothers” which inspired the HBO miniseries and book of the same name, died Friday. He was 99.
An obituary posted by the Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home & Crematory said Shames, of Norfolk, Virginia, died peacefully at home.

Shames enlisted in the Army in 1942, parachuted into Normandy and fought in the Battle of the Bulge as part of the “Easy Company,” 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.

Their combined efforts – and sacrifices – made in the name of freedom inspired the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, the Virginian-Pilot reported.

The miniseries was based on a New York Times bestseller by Stephen Ambrose.
Only 19 at the time of his enlistment, Shames trained at Camp Toccoa, Ga.

Full article here and includes photo from 2003 with some other members, including Jack Foley and "Shifty" Powers.

RIP Colonel.
Hand salute!