Robert C. Schaffer was born on October 1, 1920 in Oneonta, NY to John Schaffer (1886-1952) and Hazel Baker (1894-1968).  His parents were married September 10, 1917 in Otsego County, NY.  The 1930 U.S. Census recorded his dad was from Pennsylvania and that he was a signalman for the local D&H Railroad in Oneonta, NY. His mom was from England. He was one of eight children and the family lived on Miller St. then later on 8th St. in Oneonta, NY. He attended Oneonta High School before enlisting in April 1940. He received his basic training at Fort McClellan Alabama and Fort Ontario, New York. By October 1941 he was a Sgt. and doing training as part of Company A, 1st Training Battalion.

He married Sarah Smith in Rome, Georgia in June 1942. In June 1943 he is sent overseas with the 30th Infantry to North Africa. In January 1944 he participated in the battle at Anzio in Italy and is wounded and recieves the Purple Heart. According to a newspaper account from March 1944, he writes home that he broke his ankle and otherwise was "very busy". He divorced Sara E. Schaffer on July 10, 1944. On August 15, 1944 he is part of the invasion of Southern France, called Operation Dragoon. Landing near La Croix as part of "Alpha Force", his unit works their way through Grimaud, Cellobrieres, Ganfaron and finally by August 18th ,after 3 days of hard fighting, to Brignoles.

S/Sgt. Schaffer is killed in fighting in the vicinity of Brignoles on August 18 or 19, 1944. He was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster Per his family's wishes, on September 23, 1948, he is permanently interred in the Rhone American Cemetery and Memorial, Draguignan,Departement du Var,Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur,France,Block A, Row 2, Grave 19 

If you notice anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact Jim Greenberg at nez13820@gmail.com. 

Sources

Alphabetical Master Cards, 1942–1947; Series VI, Card Files—Bureau of War Records, Master Index Cards, 1943–1947; National Jewish Welfare Board, Bureau of War Records, 1940–1969; I-52; boxes 273–362. New York, New York: American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History. 

Find a Grave, accessed at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56511265/robert-c-schaffer, January 20, 2023.

Headstone Inscription and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949. Microfilm Series A1 43, NAID: 7408555. Records of the American Battle Monuments Commission, 1918–ca. 1995. Record Group 117. The National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Individual Deceased Personnel File, 293, Schaffer, Robert C. (6,978,105), S/Sgt. Inf.

Moore, Edwin, Oneonta WWII Scapbook Series, Huntington Memorial Library, Oneonta, NY

Wikipedia entry for "Operation Dragoon", accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Dragoon, January 25, 2023.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Oneonta, Otsego, New York; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0036; FHL microfilm: 2341370

Supporting Files