Born in Newton, Kansas, October 18, 1921. He was a member of the Salem Evangelical Sunday School throughout his childhood and youth. He finished high school in Newton in 1938 and was a graduate of Wichita Business College. He attended Wichita university. Before his enlistment and induction into the Air Corps on November 14, 1942, he was employed by the Small-Milburn Investment Banking Company of Wichita, Kansas, as a bond salesman.
He was married to Merle Settoon December 26, 1941. He entered his Cadet training at San Antonio, Texas, and was sent from there to Oklahoma City for further training. next he completed his radio course in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was transferred to Harlingen, Texas, for gunnery school. He was then stationed at Dalhart, Texas, for several months, after which he was sent to Kearney, Nebraska, and assigned to a B-17 as radio operator.
Robert and his crew left Salt Lake City for their port of embarkation and arrived in England May 30, 1944. He was member of the 379th Bomb Group (H) and the 524th Bomb Squadron. He had completed his fifth mission and was on his sixth when his plane was shot down over Friedburg, Germany, July 12,1944, and he and seven other members of his crew were killed.
Four of Robert's brothers were in the armed forces during the war.
He was awarded the Air medal for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe, and the Purple heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defence of his country.
He was also entitled to an Aerial Gunner's Badge, Marksman Badge with pistol Bar, World War II Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, Distinguished Badge and European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbons, with one Bronze Star for battle participation in the Normandy campaign.
He is survived by his wife, Merle; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.T. Shaffer; six brothers, Harold, Hillard, Glenn, Ray, Richard and Fred Shaffer; and two sisters Mrs. Joe O'Brian and Ruth Shaffer.
He was married to Merle Settoon December 26, 1941. He entered his Cadet training at San Antonio, Texas, and was sent from there to Oklahoma City for further training. next he completed his radio course in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was transferred to Harlingen, Texas, for gunnery school. He was then stationed at Dalhart, Texas, for several months, after which he was sent to Kearney, Nebraska, and assigned to a B-17 as radio operator.
Robert and his crew left Salt Lake City for their port of embarkation and arrived in England May 30, 1944. He was member of the 379th Bomb Group (H) and the 524th Bomb Squadron. He had completed his fifth mission and was on his sixth when his plane was shot down over Friedburg, Germany, July 12,1944, and he and seven other members of his crew were killed.
Four of Robert's brothers were in the armed forces during the war.
He was awarded the Air medal for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe, and the Purple heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defence of his country.
He was also entitled to an Aerial Gunner's Badge, Marksman Badge with pistol Bar, World War II Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, Distinguished Badge and European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbons, with one Bronze Star for battle participation in the Normandy campaign.
He is survived by his wife, Merle; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.T. Shaffer; six brothers, Harold, Hillard, Glenn, Ray, Richard and Fred Shaffer; and two sisters Mrs. Joe O'Brian and Ruth Shaffer.
Born in Newton, Kansas, October 18, 1921. He was a member of the Salem Evangelical Sunday School throughout his childhood and youth. He finished high school in Newton in 1938 and was a graduate of Wichita Business College. He attended Wichita university. Before his enlistment and induction into the Air Corps on November 14, 1942, he was employed by the Small-Milburn Investment Banking Company of Wichita, Kansas, as a bond salesman.
He was married to Merle Settoon December 26, 1941. He entered his Cadet training at San Antonio, Texas, and was sent from there to Oklahoma City for further training. next he completed his radio course in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was transferred to Harlingen, Texas, for gunnery school. He was then stationed at Dalhart, Texas, for several months, after which he was sent to Kearney, Nebraska, and assigned to a B-17 as radio operator.
Robert and his crew left Salt Lake City for their port of embarkation and arrived in England May 30, 1944. He was member of the 379th Bomb Group (H) and the 524th Bomb Squadron. He had completed his fifth mission and was on his sixth when his plane was shot down over Friedburg, Germany, July 12,1944, and he and seven other members of his crew were killed.
Four of Robert's brothers were in the armed forces during the war.
He was awarded the Air medal for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe, and the Purple heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defence of his country.
He was also entitled to an Aerial Gunner's Badge, Marksman Badge with pistol Bar, World War II Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, Distinguished Badge and European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbons, with one Bronze Star for battle participation in the Normandy campaign.
He is survived by his wife, Merle; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.T. Shaffer; six brothers, Harold, Hillard, Glenn, Ray, Richard and Fred Shaffer; and two sisters Mrs. Joe O'Brian and Ruth Shaffer.
He was married to Merle Settoon December 26, 1941. He entered his Cadet training at San Antonio, Texas, and was sent from there to Oklahoma City for further training. next he completed his radio course in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and was transferred to Harlingen, Texas, for gunnery school. He was then stationed at Dalhart, Texas, for several months, after which he was sent to Kearney, Nebraska, and assigned to a B-17 as radio operator.
Robert and his crew left Salt Lake City for their port of embarkation and arrived in England May 30, 1944. He was member of the 379th Bomb Group (H) and the 524th Bomb Squadron. He had completed his fifth mission and was on his sixth when his plane was shot down over Friedburg, Germany, July 12,1944, and he and seven other members of his crew were killed.
Four of Robert's brothers were in the armed forces during the war.
He was awarded the Air medal for exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in bomber combat operations over enemy occupied continental Europe, and the Purple heart for having made the supreme sacrifice in defence of his country.
He was also entitled to an Aerial Gunner's Badge, Marksman Badge with pistol Bar, World War II Victory Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, Distinguished Badge and European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Campaign Ribbons, with one Bronze Star for battle participation in the Normandy campaign.
He is survived by his wife, Merle; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R.T. Shaffer; six brothers, Harold, Hillard, Glenn, Ray, Richard and Fred Shaffer; and two sisters Mrs. Joe O'Brian and Ruth Shaffer.
Inscription
AVC, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
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