William Shaeffer Obituary

William Floyd Shaeffer (a.k.a. Bill) was born at home in the small coal mining and power plant town of Fraiser, Iowa, located on the Des Moines River on November 27, 1917, to Clayton Floyd and Myrtle Mae (ne. Ingalls) Shaeffer. He attended a two room school house in Fraiser and then later Boone High School in Boone, Iowa, class of 1935. It was there he met the love of his life, Louise Marie Sayre. He and Louise were married on November 10, 1939. In addition to being a straight "A" student, and a member of the National Honor Society, Bill also enjoyed playing Ice Hockey on the Des Moines River during winter months, and Baseball during the spring and summer. He had a big interest in baseball at that time and played Third Baseman on the Boone Semi-Pro Team. He batted against Bob Feller when the pitcher was in his home town of Van Meter, Iowa and hit a home run from one of his pitches. In the summer of 1940, his team played a neighboring team who had the famous St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Dizzy Dean and hit a home run off of him as well. He always said "That made him quite famous for about a week." Col. Shaeffer was attending Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa and made the decision to join what was then the Army Air Corp after Pearl Harbor Day 1941. He also managed Title-winning Ice Hockey Teams in Germany during the Occupation.

Col. Shaeffer joined the Military as an Aviation Cadet and earned his Pilot's wings and commission as an Officer. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and rated Pilot. He trained in P-47 aircraft and was sent to the European Theatre of Operations. He then joined the 510th Fighter Squadron. He flew in support of General Patton's Army a total of 93 missions and was credited with 3 ME-109 German Aircraft shot down. He remained with the 510th until the end of the war in May 1945.

After the war, while assigned to the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Selfridge AFB, MI, he was in a very select and carefully chosen group of twelve Air Force pilots that ferried F-80 Aircraft, Code Name Fox Able II, across the North Atlantic to Germany in 1949, only the second time that single engine Aircraft Fighters were flown across the Atlantic Ocean.

In 1951 to 1952 he was sent to Korea to fly combat Missions in F-86 Aircraft assigned to the 16th Fighter Squadron where he flew 33 missions in three months. There he was credited with downing 3 MIG 15's, one without ever firing a shot, and thereby earned the coveted title of Air Force Fighter Ace.

He remained in the Air Force flying a wide variety of aircraft until his retirement after 30+ years of service in 1972.

During his dedicated and meritorious service, he was awarded: two Legions of Merit, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, Sixteen Air Medals, four Commendation Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the French Croix De Guerre, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

He served as Commander and Vice-Commander of numerous Air Force Bases and also at the Pentagon. He was an active member of the American Fighter Aces Association, the Air Force Association, the Retired Officers Association, The Masonic Lodge, the Al Kaly Shriner, and St. Michael's Episcopal Church.

Col. Shaeffer is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 74 years, Louise Marie Shaeffer (ne Sayre), his daughter Alice Janine Shaeffer-Katona, her husband, son-in law Thomas Katona, Grandsons Mark Floyd Shaeffer & wife Deana, Jason William Helland & wife Melissa, and Matthew Floyd Shaeffer & wife Elizabeth (Beth). He is preceded in death by his parents Clayton and Myrtle Mae Shaeffer (ne Ingalls), his sister, Betty Kimsey (ne Shaeffer), his daughter Nancy Jo Helland (ne Shaeffer), and his son Douglas Floyd Shaeffer. He is also survived by nine great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 7400 Tudor Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80919, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 11th, 2014, preceded by Family ONLY Inurnment Services at Shrine of Remembrance.

The Shaeffer Family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Michael's Episcopal Church and Pike's Peak Hospice.

Online Condolences: ShrineOfRemembrance.com