Robert Joseph was the third of four children of Valentine Joseph (Val) Schaaf (1886-1961) and Florence Clare McNulty (1886-1982). He and his siblings were all born and raised in Saint Paul, MN. Robert had two older sisters, Florence Delores (1914-1977) and Agnes Lillian (1916-2008) and one younger brother, John Richard (Jack, 1922-2009). Robert graduated from Central High School in Saint Paul, where he was active in several sports - he played football and baseball and was a member of the gymnastics team. Before enlisting for service, Robert worked at the family business, the Schaaf Manufacturing Company. Robert was killed in action during the Second World War near Metz, France, and posthumously awarded a Silver Star for sacrificing himself to save another man. Sgt. Alfred Joseph Backfish (memorial # 56370993) was assisting 2LT Schaaf with the wounded man and he, also, was killed. See the attached letter for details about Bob Schaaf's death . His sister Agnes named one of her sons Robert Schaaf Liesenfeld in honor of her brother.
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The following information was provided by Son of the 7th (Findagrave Member # 47067117)
Birth
21 Aug 1916
Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, USA
Death
6 Jan 2008 (aged 91)
Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, USA
Burial
Resurrection Cemetery
Mendota Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota, USA

Memorial ID
244721689 · View Source

Memorial
Photos 3
Flowers 0

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2nd Lt. Schaaf, Robert Joseph
Service number: O-1 596 486

Age: 24
Born: January 26, 1920, Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, USA
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Family:
Valentine Joseph Schaaf (father)
Florence Clare (nee McNulty) Schaaf (mother)
Florence Dolores Schaaf (sister)
Agnes Schaaf Liesenfeld (sister)
John "Jack" Schaaf (brother)

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Function: Combat Engineers Unit Commander
Battalion: 33rd Armored Engineers
Division: 7th Armored Division
Company: A
Date of death: September 8, 1944
Status: Killed In Action
Place of death: Metz, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France
Spot: 1 mile east of Pierrvillers, France

Awards / Commendations:
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ Silver Star
★ Purple Heart
★ Combat Infantryman Badge
★ Marksmanship Badge
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

Grave number: Not available
Cemetery: Resurrection Cemetery
Mendota Heights, Dakota County, Minnesota, USA

Biography:
Other information:
In the letter posted by member Judy Schaaf, it mentions at the time of his death, a sergeant died with him. This may be Sgt Alfred Joseph Backfish, memorial #56370993