Paul J. Shaffer
"Peachy"
U.S. Army/ARNG

photo of Paul Shaffer at Guard Unit Rehearsal
This image says:  Guard Unit Rehearsal.  9-26-40.  Here's how national guard medical units load a man with a broken leg onto a litter so that he may be taken to a field hospital for treatment.  In this rehearsal, Pvt. George Holoubek (left), Sergt. V. B. Corlett, and Pvt Bob White (right) are lifting Sergt. Paul Shaffer.  They are all members of the 136th medical regiment, 34th division, at Iowa City, Ia.
Photo of Paul Shaffer

 

Paul Shaffer was born March 21, 1913 in Iowa City, Iowa.

In 1933 Paul enlisted in the 186th Hospital Co, Iowa National Guard where he served until the end of his first term in 1936. In 1936 he was reassigned to 136th Medical Regiment and in 1940 to Company C, 1st Regiment. After WWII he was assigned as a Sergeant in the 34th Recon Company where he was a tank driver on a M24 Chaffee light tank. On the night of June 8th 1951 while on reconnaissance maneuvers three miles south of Iowa City a bridge collapsed under the weight of “Peachy’s tank and it fell into the creek. All four crew members were unharmed but the bridge was a total loss. Several days later two tank recovery units arrived from Camp Dodge to pull the tank out of the creek.

Paul worked most of his life for Iowa-Illinois Gas and Electric as a welder and later as a supervisor in the gas department. Paul "Peachy" Shaffer died May 27, 1981 in Iowa City.

Locator

Memorial List