Shafers Increase Museum Support to $20,000

February 28, 2016

by CEC/Seabee Historical Foundation

Capt. Willard G. Shafer and his wife, Susan, recently increased their donation to the Seabee Museum from $10,000 to $20,000. The new donation brings the museum closer to completion of the permanent exhibits and displays. Their donation is one of many good works the couple has undertaken during a long and varied career with the CEC.

A Mechanical Engineer, Shafer’s first duty station was as the Public Works Shops Engineer for the Submarine Base, New London, CN, after which he was among the first officers sent to Naval Base Rota, Spain, as part of a pre-commissioning detail where he helped build the Public Works Department from seven to more than 500 personnel. After receiving his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1961 and training in nuclear power plans, Shafer became Officer in Charge of Crew IV at the McMurdo Sound Antarctica Nuclear Power Plant during DEEPFREEZE 65.

In 1968, then Comdr. Shafer was responsible for consolidating three West Coast EFD Acquisition Departments at San Bruno, CA. He then served in Vietnam as Assistant Deputy OICC for Construction in charge of the inspection of, quality control of, and support for the contractor’s 22,000-person field operations. He later served in Guam as Commanding Officer of the Public Works Center.

He retired from active duty in 1981, joining the faculty of the College of Engineering, University of Florida at Gainesville, and served as the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. He was the academic mentor for about 75 DOD graduate students, the majority of whom were CEC officers. He also chaired the NROTC Committee.

The Shafers live in Gainsville, FL, where they continue to contribute to their community in many ways.