SHAFFER, FLOYD R Dec 26, 1943 age 21 KIA New Britain

FLOYD RICHARD SHAFFER b. 1922 Mich d. Dec. 26, 1943 Killed in Action New Britain,

 New Guinea

Sgt 279830 USMC 3^rd BN Mar, 1^st Mar Div, Co K

Forrest Shaffer WW I

Buried Ft. Wm McKinley, Manila, Philippines

Parents: Forrest Richard & Emma J. (Millard)

The parents married in 1919, he born in Oregon, she in Michigan. Forrest served in WWI, and perhaps in the absence of any photo of Floyd, his photo might give us some sense of what the son looked like.

In 1930 together with son Floyd they lived in Flint where Forrest painted autos. When they moved to Detroit in unclear, but in 1935 Emma was living at 14007 Pierson in Detroit (now yet another empty Brightmoor lot) with Russell Pratt, 5 years her junior. She and Forrest filed for divorce in 1930 on the usual grounds of cruelty and non-support; it was granted June 1936 with alimony. Forrest, meanwhile moved to Missouri and died 1948 in Denver Co; he is buried at Ft. Scott Nat’l Cemetery, Kansas.

Floyd completed 8 yrs of school, and since he is recorded as a Redford student he must have been there for the 8th grade. (No historical records are available as to when certain grades were covered at the high school.) In 1940 Emma had already married Russell Pratt in 1939 but son Floyd enlisted 4 Jan. of that year so was living on the US Marine Corps reservation in Virginia.  It’s a bit tricky following his deployment thru the Marine Muster rolls as there is another Floyd Shaffer on the rolls. April 1942 Floyd was in Co. K, third Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Div., New River, N.C.  Unable to trace his postings but can find his division actions on New Britain.

Marine Landing New Britain 1943

Initial fighting on New Britain took place around the western end of the island in December 1943 and January 1944, with US forces landing and securing bases around Arawe and Cape Glouster. The landing at Cape Gloucester took place on 26 December, The 1st Marine Division was selected for the attack. For the landing, two beaches were chosen to the east of the airfields at Cape Gloucester, which was the main goal of the operation.

Floyd was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.