The remembrances posted for Donald Schafer are rather mysterious, hinting at a troubled life, and possible children that he never knew existed.
Date of birth: 15 April 1947 Date of casualty: 1 May 1968 Home of record: Milwaukie, Oregon Branch and Rank: Navy Reserve, Seaman Apprentice Unit: 7th Fleet, USS Genesee Awards: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal Location of name on the Vietnam Wall: 53E, 40
Location of service: South Vietnam, Quang Tri province Non-Hostile Died While Missing, Other Accident, Ground Casualty
Schools attended: Milwaukie High School (1966), Multnomah College Burial location: Willamette National Cemetery Memorials: Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Washington, DC), Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Portland), Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Portland), Gold Star War Memorial – Milwaukie High School
The Oregonian, Saturday, May 4, 1968 Blast Kills Sailor, 21 Navy Seaman Donald Schafer, 21, of Milwaukie, was killed Thursday in a gasoline explosion aboard a tanker in coastal waters off South Vietnam. He was the son of Dr. and Mrs. W. Warren Schafer of Milwaukie. His mother, Nirene Schafer, lives in Oakland, Calif. Schafer was born in Grand Junction, Colo., April 15, 1947 and was a 1966 graduate of Milwaukie High School and attended Multnomah College. In addition to his parents, he is survived by a brother, Robert, 19, serving as a fireman on a Navy vessel stationed at Guam; another brother, Kenneth W., 16, and a sister, Barbara, 13. Memorial service will be 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Paul’s Methodist Church. The family suggests remembrances be in the form of contributions to the church’s library fund.
These remembrances were originally posted here: http://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/45822/DONALD-R-SCHAFER A troubled friend remembered A loyal friend, from high school and beyond. I am so glad we had time together in Hawaii before your last voyage. Thanks for your friendship and rest in the peace you never had in life. ******************************************************************** Children I don't know if this man knew it, he probably did not, but he had two children, twins, born a month before his death. I am one of these two, and I often wonder how much better my life would have been if he was alive. ******************************************************************** My big brother Still miss him after all these years. What years that I had with him left an impression on the rest of my life. When I went to High school several of the teachers would tell me that I had reminded them of Don.