Born:                             13 June 1923               Fort Lee, Virginia

Enlistment date:            25 September 1942

Deployments:                Europe - 05 Sep 1943

Units:                             I, HQ and E Co, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division

Rank:                            Colonel

Specializations:            

Qualifications:              Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Marksman,

Decorations:                  World War II Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, EAME Theater Ribbon with 2 Bronze Arrowheads, Presidential Unit Citation, Distinguished Unit Badge, Bronze Star Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters , Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters,  French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Belgian Croix de Guerre, Belgian Fourragere, Netherlands Orange Lanyard

Discharge Date:            26 Feb 1946

Other Information:         Enlisting in September 1942, Ed Shames was to become one of the most respected officers in the 101st Airborne Division, a stickler for detail, he always got the job done and brought his men home.

​ Originally assigned to I Company in the 3rd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment he was then transferred to Headquarters Company. He received a battlefield commission during the taking of Carentan in Normandy, and joined Easy Company in July 1944 as a 2nd Lieutenant prior to Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge.