Military Figure. He served during World War II as a United States Army officer in "Easy Company," 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regimen of the 101st Airborne Division. The story of this band of soldiers was immortalized in the 2001 American war drama miniseries, "Band of Brothers," thus bringing their heroic deeds to the public's attention and globally gaining much-deserved recognition. Of the veterans of the original "Band of Brothers," he was the last surviving officer of Easy Company. Born into a Jewish household, he applied to join after reading about the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and in August of 1942, he was called to active duty and sent to Toccoa, Georgia as a private in I Company, 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In England, he was promoted to Operations Sergeant, and prior to D-Day, he built the sand tables used in planning the airdrop into Normandy. As part of Operation Overlord, Shames made his first combat jump on D-Day, June 6, 1944, landing in a French farmer's cow pasture. As a result of his actions and leadership shown during the battle of Normandy, on June 13, 1944, he received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant, the first NCO in the Third Battalion to receive such a commission in Normandy. That same day, he turned 22 while in battle. Shames was transferred to Easy Company in charge of the third platoon. He fought with Easy Company in Operation Market Garden and volunteered for Operation Pegasus to rescue allied soldiers trapped behind enemy lines after the battle of Arnhem. The operation rescued 138 men who were transported across the lower Rhine River in small rubber boats. He received a combat wound to his left leg, but recovered. He later fought with Easy Company in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. During the battle in Foy, Shames and another soldier destroyed a Nazi tank with a bazooka. Shames participated in the liberation of concentration camps in southern Germany, and witnessing the horrors of the Jewish captives. According to his obituary, he was one of the first of the 101st to enter Dachau concentration camp. He participated in securing Nazi Dictator Adolph Hitler's retreat at Berchtesgaden. During the exploration of Hitler's "Eagle's Nest," Shames found a supply of cognac labeled "for the Fuehrer's use only" and later used a bottle to toast his oldest son's Bar Mitzvah. In a published interview, he proudly stated that he "brought more men home from my platoon than any other of the 200 platoons in the 101st Airborne Division." After World War II, Shames worked for the National Security Agency as a specialist on Middle East affairs from 1945 to 1982, and also served in the United States Army Reserve, retiring as a colonel in 1973. During World War II, he received the Bronze Star Medal, three Purple Heart Medals, Croix de Guerre from France, Reconnaissance de la France Libérée from France, Oorlogsherinneringskruis (OHK) from Netherlands, Combat Infantryman Badge, US Army Parachute Badge, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. Shames was portrayed in the seven-time Emmy-winning HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers" by Joseph May. He and his wife were married for 73 years. He had two sons. He was given a full military funeral.