Death of William C. Schaffner, Fought at the Battle of the Bulge

From the March 6, 2020, Baltimore Sun  by Frederick Rasmussen.

Died March 3 at age 95.

Two weeks after graduating from City College he was drafted.  After training he was sent to Europe.  In December 1944, he was forward observer with then 589th Field Artillery of the 106th Infantry Division in Baraque de Fraiture, Belgium, defending a road to Bastogne, Belgium, when the Germans attacked in a prelude to the Battle of the Bulge.

As forward observer, it was Mr. Schaffner's job to call in and direct artillery attacks.

The attack was known as Parker's Crossroads after Major Arthur Parker III, who commanded the 589th Artillery.  They were successful long enough to allow Gen. Patton's 3rd Army to arrive.  They accomplished the task, but he was the only one who wasn't a casualty or taken prisoner.

--GreGen