LES SCHAFFER 1947 - 1976 PILOT BIL DEN Forgive this late notification... the Gone West of Capt. Les Schaffer on 8/10/05 of Parkinson Disease. All arrangements were private. Regretfully, -Ace Avakian (8/23/05) Where did Les live? Was Lester his actual name? I'm trying to find an obituary if you've seen one. -Jake Lamkins (8/25/05) Les (his real first name is Lester) Schaffer was living in Aurora Colorado. His services were very (strictly) private at the request of his last wishes and therefore of his family. He went west because of Parkinson's disease. He was one my favorite captains when I first came on board Monarch Air Lines in 1948. He was from Ottumwa, Iowa and he learned to fly there and then joined the Royal Canadian Air Force when Britain went to war with Germany. He ferried Lockheed "Hudson" bombers across the North Atlantic from Canadian ports to London on the Lend-Lease program prior to the US entry into WWII. An interesting note - - on one of his assignments, he lost an engine on take-off and was forced to land on a frozen lake during a snowstorm. He along with his copilot and crew chief huddled together under a tarp for 2 days prior to their rescue. They ran out of cigarettes and used a toothpick to share their last cigarette. When finally rescued, they found out their entire load was Lucky Strike cigarettes bound for the USO's in London, England! He was a wonderful person - a great pilot - and I learned quite a bit from him as his copilot during the DC-3 days with Monarch. I cannot tell you the hollow, sad feeling I get when I tack a name to our Gone West Scroll. The memories of the known ones really tug at my heart strings as I recall good times together. I guess at our age, we have to expect these things but when they do happen, it just seems so, so sad. I guess all we can do is to look back and - remember, "the good times." -Ace Avakian (8/25/05 In the Gone West, you needed more info on Les Schaffer. I talked to his wife, Lee; he was 88 when he passed away & had Parkinson's. -Darlene Spieler (11/13/09) L E SCHAFFER Pilot seniority date of 4/4/47 on the 10/28/67 & 9/1/72 FL/ALPA seniority lists. The May 1976 article notes his retirement with 29 years. -Jake Lamkins (11/13/09) FL Club Updated memorial webpage LES SCHAFFER 1947 - 1976 PILOT BIL DEN http://denfl. tripod.com/ Les_Schaffer. html Darlene Spieler, BIL, helped with more info on Les. Post your remembrances. -Jake Lamkins (11/13/09) I am a researcher/writer of Newfoundland and Labrador aviation history. I happened upon a story in issue 21 of the Frontier News regarding the passing of Les Schaffer in 2005. There is an anecdote about him ferrying Hudson bombers across the Atlantic during the war and of force landing on a frozen lake during a snowstorm. I have record of a force landing on a frozen lake in Newfoundland in Jan 1943, piloted by Lester Schaffer, born 31 March 1917, which is consistent with the DOB cited in your newsletters. It�s a shot in the dark, but I�m wondering if you might have further info on Schaffer, especially his wartime activities, or know of anyone (family, etc.) who could shed further light on the incident from Jan 1943. Appreciate any help you can provide. Regards, -Darrell Hillier (8/22/16) Hi Darrell, You have the right Les Schaffer. There is an anecdote about his forced landing posted at his memorial webpage: All the info I have on Les is posted there. I would appreciate you sharing with me what you have on Les and I could add it to his webpage. Great hearing from you, -Jake Lamkins (8/22/16) Les joined the Royal Air Force Ferry Command, ferrying aircraft overseas. I have a record of all the aircraft types he ferried. Attached is some particulars from Lester's RAF Ferry Command Crew Assignment Card. His first overseas ferry flight via the North Atlantic route was 13 Sept 1941 in a Hudson bomber. On 15 June 1942 he arrived in the U.K. with another Hudson, flew back as a passenger on a Return Ferry B-24 Liberator, and was back in the U.K. twice in July 1942, having delivered a Ventura and a B-25 Mitchell. He delivered another B-25 in Oct 1942 and a Boston (A-20) the following month. He delivered a Hudson in Dec 1942 and in Jan 1943 delivered another Boston, but this time by the South Atlantic route, stopping in Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Brazil, Ascension Island, Liberia, Gambia and finally French Morocco. From Morocco he flew as a passenger aboard a Return Ferry Liberator to the U.K., Iceland, and Montreal (Dorval airport near Montreal was the main transit point for overseas departures). Ten days after arriving in Montreal, Lester was again bound overseas in a Boston via the North Atlantic. He delivered a Ventura in April 1943, a B-25 in Nov 1943, and a C-47 in Jan 1944. His last flight took him from Montreal to Goose Bay, Labrador and return in Feb/March 1944. In between all these Atlantic deliveries, Lester made numerous shorter flights to Gander, Goose Bay, Presque Isle, and Houlton (Maine), presumably bringing in mail, supplies or passengers. The story he told of force landing was undoubtedly the incident in Jan 1943. He had left Montreal in a Ventura, bound for Goose Bay, but bad weather forced him to divert to Gander. He ran low on fuel and force landed west of Gander on a frozen lake. His Ferry Command Crew Assignment Card notes this as a "special flight," as opposed to an overseas ferry flight. He made a number of such special flights into Gander and Goose Bay during the war, likely carrying supplies, mail or passengers. Regards, -Darrell Hillier (8/23/16) THANK YOU so much, Darrell, for sharing with me your research and history. I will put Les' memorial webpage in my work queue and update it with the info you have sent. Please send me anything else you find about Les and I'll add it on too. Best regards, -Jake Lamkins (8/23/16) You're very welcome Jake. That's the majority of what I have on Lester thus far. I'm still trying to gather more info on the force landing in Jan 1943 but details are sparse. The day after landing on the lake, two searching RCAF Cansos (PBYs) spotted a bonfire and flares and reported their position to Gander. A B-24 soon arrived overhead, dropping two sleeping bags, and a couple hours later a ski-equipped RCAF Norseman picked up Lester, his two crew, and four passengers. -Darrell Hillier (8/23/16) L E SCHAFFER BIL captain per the Nov 1955 Frontier Roster. L E SCHAFFER Notation says Les BIL captain DOB 3/31/17 DOH 4/4/47 per the Feb 1960 Frontier Roster. -Jake Lamkins (8/23/16) Les was a DEN 737 captain and #13 on the pilots' seniority list as reflected on the Apr 1975 Pilots Domicile List. He is not on the Apr 1976 Pilots Domicile List. I appears he retired around his 59th birthday in Mar 1976. -Jake Lamkins (8/24/16) FLacebook - FL Club FLight West: Les Schaffer BIL DEN pilot Les Schaffer's memorial webpage has been upgraded: http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Les_Schaffer.html Moved his webpage to a non-ad site and added several more items. A Canadian historian sent some info on his WWII service with the RAF Ferry Command. Still need an obituary and better photo of Les. -Jake Lamkins (8/24/16)