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Contact Info
Home Town Palestine
Last Address El Paso, TX
Date of Passing Feb 05, 2005
Location of Interment Fort Bliss National Cemetery (VA) - Fort Bliss, Texas
From Private to Brigadier General - George Macon Shuffer, Jr.
Against his father's wishes, Shuffer ran off in June 1940 to join his brothers in the 25th Infantry Regiment at Fort Huachuca, AZ. Recruiting quotas were filled at the time, so Shuffer was "attached" to L company without pay. In August 1940, he was allowed to enlist and promoted to PFC because of the duties he had performed for months without a paycheck.
He was then transferred to Camp Wolters, TX into a training Bn as a CPL. BG Benjamin O. Davis visited his unit, and suggested that then SGT Shuffer apply for OCS.
2LT Shuffer was commissioned on 2 February 1943 after completing OCS at Fort Benning, GA.
He was then assigned as a platoon leader for the 2nd Airbase Security Regiment at Fort Swift, TX.
Shuffer moved to the Antitank Co. of the 368th Infantry Regiment in 1943. This regiment deployed to the Solomon Islands with the 93rd Infantry Division in January 1944.
The 93rd saw action at Benika, Morotai Island, and Zamboanga on Mindanao.
During the Korean War, Shuffer received two Silver Stars, a second Bronze Star, and was seriously wounded in April 1951. He was evacuated to Walter Reed Army Hospital.
Following duty in Europe, Shuffer was assigned to 2/2 Infantry as the Bn Commander.
This unit was detached from the 5th Infantry Division and deployed to Vietnam in October 1965 with the 1st Infantry Division. Shuffer's 2/2 IN received two Valorous Unit Awards while he was the commander.
Following a tour with II Field Force and military assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Shuffer took command of the 193rd Infantry Brigade, Panama Canal Zone in 1970.
A return to Europe saw Shuffer assigned as Deputy CofS for Personnel, USAEUR. After this assignment, Shuffer was the ADC for the 3rd ID in Wurzburg. He fractured his hip while running PT on the ice, and was medically retired after 35 years of service.
BG Shuffer was a fighter. He was in combat with his men - on the ground - through three wars. Following his retirement, he acted as a chaplain and regularly visited troops at William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss, TX.
Shuffer died at age 81 in 2005.
Other Comments:
Brigadier General George M. Shuffer, Jr., 81, (US Army Ret,) was called home to the Lord February 5, 2005; he was born in Palestine, Texas on September 27, 1923.
Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in February 1943, he went on to fight for our country in World War II as an intelligence and reconnaissance platoon leader, Korea as an Infantry Company Commander, and Vietnam as a Infantry Battalion Commander, rising in rank to Brigadier General over a thirty-five year career.
His list of citations and decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, three Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars, five Air medals and the Purple Heart. In 1984 he was inducted into the Infantry Hall of fame.
He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor Degree and later with a Masters degree. He graduated from the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.
At age 48, while commanding the 193rd Infantry Brigade in the Panama Canal Zone, he earned the parachute badge after completing the 8th Special Forces group Airborne School.
Following World War II he married Cecilia M. Mann, and from this union came eleven children and sixteen grandchildren.
After retiring from the Army in 1975 he entered St. Charles Seminary and was ordained a Permanent Deacon for The El Paso Diocese in 1977. He was a true shepherd who served as a Chaplain at William Beaumont Army Medical Center for almost 30 years.
General Shuffer is survived by his wife, Cecilia, four sons: David of Colleyville, Tex; George III of San Clemente, CA; Joseph of Carlsbad, Cal and Peter of Oceanside, Cal; and seven daughters: Sister Gloria Shuffer, OSF of Denver, CO; Marlene Kuhn of Muskegon, MI; Rita Lloyd of Boca Raton, FL; Monica Thomas of Pearland, Tex; Rosemary McQuillan of Las Vegas; Maria Wallace of San Antonio, TX; Anita Shuffer of Marietta GA; his two brothers Jacob and Alfrez; and his sister Eunice Stamper.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters Fannie Mae Shuffer and Willetta Saunders.