Harry Sheafe
Enhanced by Gerry Kersey
Harry Sheafe was born in Oakland, CA in 1913 and was said to have made an American flag, nailing it to a hitching post to celebrate the end of WWI, he was reprimanded for desecrating the flag by his elder brother, Ralph. He graduated from Batavia, Illinois High School and attended Knox College. He left in favor of working at Hoover Dam at the encouragement of his eldest brother, Jack who was employed there. He worked there from 1933 until the dam was finished. One day while working on the dam he fell from a great height, as he fell his fall was broken by breaking off the wooden pieces of the scaffolding. Thanks to that wood which broke his fall, he was able to walk away from the experience just a bit shaken and badly bruised.
Harry enlisted in the Army Air Corp in Denver and then went to Air Mechanics School at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois. He was an instructor there until 1943, when he was selected to attend Officer Training School at Yale. He graduated as an Aircraft Engineer. After being assigned to a B-24 group, he was eventually flown to Cerignola, Italy as part of the 767th Bombardment Squadron (H), 461st Bombardment Group. He remained stationed there for the duration of the war.
After discharge he aggravated his back injury from his Hoover Dam fall and could no longer work. He was treated by Dr. Southerland so successfully that he decided to take advantage of the GI bill and became a Chiropractor. He graduated from Palmer Chiropractic College and set up practice in Olympia, Washington where he eventually retired. Harry was considered by his peers to be a leader in his field and brought a great deal of credibility and dignity to his profession. Harry was a Boy Scout Master for troop in the late 1940's. Harry was commander of the local VFW Post 318 in 1952 and 1953. He would have loved this website.
Harry loved flying and the outdoors. He also enjoyed building boats and fishing, camping and hunting with his sons and friends. Harry died February 13, 1992 at the age of 78. He has a lawyer, pediatrician, and PHD chemist as grandchildren and all are grateful we aren't speaking German.
Harry left an extensive collection of pictures he took while stationed in Italy. As time and money permits the negatives will be printed and then scanned for website viewing.