Richard Francis Shaefer
MilitaryPilot
416th BG - 668th and 669th BS - 9th AF
Lieutenant General Richard F. Shaefer is deputy chairman, NATO Military Committee at Brussels, Belgium.
General Shaefer was born in Lansing, Mich., in 1919, and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1940 with a bachelor of science degree in engineering. Following graduation from the university, he entered aviation cadet training and a few weeks later received a congressional appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He completed flying training during his last year and graduated from the academy in June 1943.
During World War II he served as a combat pilot and squadron commander with Ninth Air Force in the European Theater of Operations. At the end of the war, he returned to the United States and served for a short time as director of flying for the Twin-Engine Training Program. He then returned to the U.S. Military Academy where he served as an instructor from 1946 to 1949.
In July 1949 he was assigned to the War Plans Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force. In January 1953 he entered the United Kingdom Joint Services Staff College. He next was assigned to the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing, which was operating in Europe out of bases in the United Kingdom, and during that assignment commanded an F-84 and a B-45 composite jet task force which was temporarily deployed to Greece. In June 1954 he became director of plans for the 49th Air Division in England.
General Shaefer returned to the United States in January 1956 and was assigned as director of operations, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif., where he participated in strategic, tactical, technical and policy studies. He was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in June 1958 where he served as chief, Foreign Requirements Division in the Directorate of Requirements.
Upon establishment of the Joint Staff in September 1958 he was assigned to the Joint Plans and Policy Directorate (J-5), Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During this period, in addition to normal joint planning responsibilities, he was specifically designated as the representative of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on several Presidential special planning committees and boards. He attended the National War College, Washington, D.C., from August 1961 to June 1962.
General Shaefer was then assigned to the U.S. Delegation, NATO Military Committee and Standing Group, with international planning responsibilities in the fields of strategy, policy and political affairs; in September 1964 he became the first deputy director for plans of the NATO Military Committee's International Military Staff.
General Shaefer was assigned as vice commander of the Third Air Force, South Ruislip, England, in July 1965. Two years later, he moved to Wiesbaden, Germany, where he became chief of staff for Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
From Europe he was transferred to the Republic of Vietnam, where he assumed duties as assistant chief of staff for plans, J-5, U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam, in July 1968.
In May 1970 he returned to the United States as deputy director for plans and policy (J-5), Joint Staff, Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
General Shaefer reported to SHAPE for duty as assistant chief of staff, operations, in October 1971, and became the deputy chairman, NATO Military Committee in September 1974.
His military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Purple Heart, the Croix de Guerre with silver star (France), the Korean Chung Mu, the Thai Order of the White Elephant, and the Vietnamese National Military and Distinguished Service Orders. He is a command pilot and is jet qualified.
He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant general effective Sept. 1, 1974, with date of rank Aug. 26, 1974
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group Headquarters (416th Bomb Group)
- Service Numbers: O-22629
- Highest Rank: Colonel
- Role/Job: Pilot - Deputy Grp Commander - Group Commander
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-743756
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Bombardier/Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Service Numbers: 39208608
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Aerial Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-748066
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Role/Job: Bombardier/Navigator
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: A-26 Invader
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-26 Invader
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 668th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-26 Invader
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 669th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
- Nicknames: Denver Darling
- Unit: 416th Bomb Group 670th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Melun, Alsace
- Site type: Airfield
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Lansing, Michigan | 30 December 1919 | |
Other First 416th BG Combat Mission |
Conches, France | 6 March 1944 | |
Other Wounded In Action/Purple Heart |
St. Hilaire, France | 29 June 1944 | Description: General Orders No. 118, 3 July 1944, Purple Heart is awarded to: 416th Bombardment Group (L), Headquarters, Richard F. Shaefer, O-25866, First Lieutenant, Air Corps, United States Army. For wounds received while serving as Pilot on an A-20 airplane on 29 June 1944. Entered military service at Raton, New Mexico. |
Other Final 416th BG Combat Mission |
Stod, Czech Republic | 3 May 1945 | |
Other Promoted to LT. General |
Brussels, Belgium | 26 August 1974 | |
Died |
San Antonio, Texas | 14 February 2001 | |
Buried |
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery | 17 February 2001 | Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas, USA Plot Section 27 Site 548 |
Other Graduated |
West Point, New York | United States Military Academy One of 18 USMA grads assigned directly to the 416th BG | |
Other Appointed Squadron Commander |
Laon/Athies Airfield, France | CO of the 669th BS | |
Other Vice Commander 3rd Air Force |
South Ruislip, UK |
Revisions
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62235635/richard-francis-shaefer
http://www.416th.com/missions/LoadingList.html
http://www.416th.com/MACR_AAR/19440629_43-21750_No_Report-_Shaefer.html
http://www.416th.com/416th_history_1945.html
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105652/lieutena…