Private First Class Schaffer served with the 18th Bomb Squadron, 34th Bomb Group, aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-17F Flying Fortress #41-24627.
He was killed when the bomber crashed, 25 miles southeast of Enterprise, in Wallowa County, Oregon. Six other Army service members also perished. The bomber had taken off from Geiger Field, in Spokane, Washington for a nighttime navigational training flight. At approximately 04:30 hours, September 10, 1942, the aircraft, while flying in light misty rain, collided with a 100-foot tall tree, shearing part of the wing off, and it careened down through a gully from a mountain ridge, and exploded. All seven airmen aboard were killed. The wreck site was located four days later, at about the 5,000 foot level. Investigation determined the B-17 was flying southbound at normal power, based on the throttle positions. The crew were probably unaware of their proximately to terrain.
The airmen killed were:
1st Lt. Richard E Pinneo, Pilot
2nd Lt. Anthony Di Menno, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Rene A Fournier, Bombardier-Navigator
2nd Lt. Peter Knudsen Jr, B-17 Student
2nd Lt. John W Zurich, B-17 Student
Cpl. Robert C Raschka, Radio Operator
Pvt. George L. Schaffer, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from Wisconsin; Service ID: 16046501.
He was killed when the bomber crashed, 25 miles southeast of Enterprise, in Wallowa County, Oregon. Six other Army service members also perished. The bomber had taken off from Geiger Field, in Spokane, Washington for a nighttime navigational training flight. At approximately 04:30 hours, September 10, 1942, the aircraft, while flying in light misty rain, collided with a 100-foot tall tree, shearing part of the wing off, and it careened down through a gully from a mountain ridge, and exploded. All seven airmen aboard were killed. The wreck site was located four days later, at about the 5,000 foot level. Investigation determined the B-17 was flying southbound at normal power, based on the throttle positions. The crew were probably unaware of their proximately to terrain.
The airmen killed were:
1st Lt. Richard E Pinneo, Pilot
2nd Lt. Anthony Di Menno, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Rene A Fournier, Bombardier-Navigator
2nd Lt. Peter Knudsen Jr, B-17 Student
2nd Lt. John W Zurich, B-17 Student
Cpl. Robert C Raschka, Radio Operator
Pvt. George L. Schaffer, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from Wisconsin; Service ID: 16046501.
Private First Class Schaffer served with the 18th Bomb Squadron, 34th Bomb Group, aboard U.S. Army Air Corps B-17F Flying Fortress #41-24627.
He was killed when the bomber crashed, 25 miles southeast of Enterprise, in Wallowa County, Oregon. Six other Army service members also perished. The bomber had taken off from Geiger Field, in Spokane, Washington for a nighttime navigational training flight. At approximately 04:30 hours, September 10, 1942, the aircraft, while flying in light misty rain, collided with a 100-foot tall tree, shearing part of the wing off, and it careened down through a gully from a mountain ridge, and exploded. All seven airmen aboard were killed. The wreck site was located four days later, at about the 5,000 foot level. Investigation determined the B-17 was flying southbound at normal power, based on the throttle positions. The crew were probably unaware of their proximately to terrain.
The airmen killed were:
1st Lt. Richard E Pinneo, Pilot
2nd Lt. Anthony Di Menno, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Rene A Fournier, Bombardier-Navigator
2nd Lt. Peter Knudsen Jr, B-17 Student
2nd Lt. John W Zurich, B-17 Student
Cpl. Robert C Raschka, Radio Operator
Pvt. George L. Schaffer, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from Wisconsin; Service ID: 16046501.
He was killed when the bomber crashed, 25 miles southeast of Enterprise, in Wallowa County, Oregon. Six other Army service members also perished. The bomber had taken off from Geiger Field, in Spokane, Washington for a nighttime navigational training flight. At approximately 04:30 hours, September 10, 1942, the aircraft, while flying in light misty rain, collided with a 100-foot tall tree, shearing part of the wing off, and it careened down through a gully from a mountain ridge, and exploded. All seven airmen aboard were killed. The wreck site was located four days later, at about the 5,000 foot level. Investigation determined the B-17 was flying southbound at normal power, based on the throttle positions. The crew were probably unaware of their proximately to terrain.
The airmen killed were:
1st Lt. Richard E Pinneo, Pilot
2nd Lt. Anthony Di Menno, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. Rene A Fournier, Bombardier-Navigator
2nd Lt. Peter Knudsen Jr, B-17 Student
2nd Lt. John W Zurich, B-17 Student
Cpl. Robert C Raschka, Radio Operator
Pvt. George L. Schaffer, Flight Engineer
~
Entered the service from Wisconsin; Service ID: 16046501.
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WISCONSIN
PVT. 1 CL. 18 BOMB SQ. AAF
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