Edward Shames, a World War II veteran who inspired an HBO mini-series and the book "Band of Brothers," passed away at the age of 99.
Shames was born in June 1922 in Virginia Beach.
Shames was sent to the Tokua Camp, Georgia where the famous 101st Parachute Division was fostered (among the Jews who served in the division were Joseph Liebgott and Captain Herbert Sobel).
He witnessed several cases of anti-Semitism in the army and was known as a Jew who would always return fire among his brothers in arms.
After being sent to the Division for further training in England he was appointed an operations sergeant.
The "Brothers in Arms" series,
In June 1944 he was parachuted with the rest of the division in cooperation with the 82nd Division and other British divisions during the combined invasion of Normandy. On June 13, he was given a field promotion for his work and importance and was given the rank of lieutenant. He was the first opponent in the 3rd Battalion to be awarded this rank under these conditions.
He was then transferred to Company E, the 2nd Battalion of the brigade (the company was published in the famous series "Brothers in Arms" and its first commander in training in 1942 was the Jewish Captain Herbert Sobel). In the company he commanded the 3rd platoon. He fought with the company in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands and volunteered for service in Operation Pegasus led by Captain Frederick Heiliger, to rescue Allied forces in Arnhem, the Netherlands. He then participated with the company in the "Battle of the Bulge" and the siege of the town of Baston, Belgium. In the battle for Poe, Sims and Sergeant Paul Rogers destroyed a German tank with a bazooka.
During the battles in Germany in the winter-spring of 1945, he participated in the liberation of concentration camps for Jews, which affected him on a personal level.
After the war he continued to serve in the U.S. Army and in reserve reached the rank of Colonel.
"He made his first combat jump to Normandy on Day D as part of Operation Overlord," the obituary read.
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