2LT. Earl Joseph Shaffer was a Bombardier with the 12th Air Force; 57th Bombardment Wing; 310th Bombardment Group; 380th Bombardment Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations (MTO).

His Hometown was Homestead, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

380th Bomb Squadron War Diary
Date: 13 March 1944
Depart: Ghisonaccia, Corsica
Target: San Stefano, Italy

B-25C; Serial No. 41-13079; MACR: 3300;
P: Betts, Edward G., 1LT; Rescued by ASR; EUS
CP: Stockdale, Glenn William, 2LT~KIA~Dauphin Co., PA
B: Shaffer, Earl J.; 2LT; MIA~POW~RTD~EUS~Allegheny Co. PA
N: Negle, Robert S., 2LT~KIA~Allegheny Co. PA
R: Pinto, Frank L., SSGT; Rescued by ASR~EUS
G: Wilson, Leo W., PVT.~KIA~Kingsbury County, SD
TG: Turner, George W., Jr., SGT.~KIA~Potter County, TX

Summary:
Crews felt that a good job was done today when dock and installations were hit at San Stefano harbor. Strings of bombs hit many places along the docks, and a direct hit was scored on a warehouse NW of the main quay. Dense gray and black smoke was observed over the target.

One of our ships was lost during this operation. Two survivors of the crew were rescued by ASR.

Very heavy, accurate flak was felt over the target area.

13 March 1944
On the above date while participating in an operational mission to Porto San Stefano Harbor, the following men are reported as Missing and Killed in Action

MISSING IN ACTION
Second Lieutenant Earl J. Shaffer, Bombardier, who, believing the aircraft in which he was flying, was going down as a result of damage by enemy anti-aircraft fire, bailed out over the target asnd was seen to land safely in the southeast area of Orbetello Penninsular. He is presumably, a Prisoner of War at the present time.

KILLED IN ACTION
Second Lieutenant Robert S. Negle, Navigator
Second Lieutenant Glenn W. Stockdale, Co-Pilot
Sergeant George W. Turner, Tail Gunner
Private Leo W. Wilson, Turret Gunner

Lt. Stockdale, the Co-Pilot of the aircraft, parachuted out of the plane approximately thirty miles northwest of the Sardinian Coast before the Pilot crash landed. he was never found, and is now carried on records as Killed In Action.

The other three members listed above died from drowning and exposure in the water after the aircraft crash landed. Records READ Killed In Action.

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2LT. Shaffer bailed out of the plane and landed safely, but was captured by the Germans and held as a Prisoner of War. He was held at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria and later Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser; Camp: 49-11. He was Liberated on 21 June 1945, and Evacuated to the United States. He was Honorably discharged on 29 January 1946.

Earl J Shaffer