Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 (EODGRU 2) received a special visit from World War II veteran and member of the legendary "Band of Brothers" Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, retired Army Col. Ed Shames, at the Navy Operational Support Center Norfolk auditorium, Feb. 5.

The visit was organized by Master Chief Navy Diver (MDV/EXW/SW) Billy Gilbert, a master diver assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 (MDSU 2,), who had met Shames by chance on a flight to Virginia Beach. He befriended the WWII veteran after seeing his veteran's ball cap and after a U.S. Army Soldier recognized Shames.

"After speaking to Colonel Shames I realized how great of an opportunity it would be to have him come speak to the Sailors," said Gilbert. "I'm a Master Chief Navy Diver so it's not often that I get nervous, but I really had butterflies going while we were waiting for him to speak. He has a lot of stories to tell and even though he had never spoken to divers or EOD technicians before, he really enjoyed speaking about his training because he felt the Sailors could relate to the physically and mentally demanding experience."

During the visit, Shames, a Virginia Beach native, spoke about growing up in the area prior to the war, going through training to join the newly created 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and his experiences throughout the European theater. Following his first combat jump into Normandy, France, during the initial phases of the invasion, Shames was promoted through a battlefield commission to the rank of 2nd lieutenant. Shames said the promotion from enlisted to officer gave him a unique perspective on leading men into combat.

Shames went on to say that one of the most important things to him as a leader was respecting the men under him. He realized that in order to be an effective leader he had to respect the inputs as well as the outputs of his men, and to lead by example. He always made it a point to lead his men, saying "you, you, you, and me are going on patrol tonight," instead of merely issuing orders to his men.

Following the speaking engagement, Shames shook hands, took photos, and interacted with the Sailors who expressed their thanks for his service and for speaking about his experiences.

"He is a genuine warrior who realizes the impact his story has on those presently serving," said Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Bailey, executive officer of MDSU 2. "It was an extraordinary opportunity to observe a selfless leader who truly volunteered for his country, paid his dues, fought against her enemies, and ultimately safeguarded the lives of those he was entrusted to lead."

EODGRU 2, headquartered at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLCFS), oversees all East Coast-based Navy EOD mobile units, including one forward deployed mobile unit in Spain, as well as EOD Expeditionary Support Unit (EODESU) 2, EOD Training and Evaluation Unit (EODTEU) 2, and the only East Coast-based mobile diving and salvage unit, MDSU 2.