Bruce Orrin Shaffer
Postal Inspector

Bruce Orrin Shaffer

Accident
End of Watch August 31, 1951
Age 44
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
The Vigil Panel 87 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Inspector Bruce Shaffer was killed in an automobile accident on State Highway 60 in Butler County, Missouri, while on official business. As he crested a hill an oncoming vehicle lost control and struck his postal service vehicle head-on, killing him instantly. Another inspector in the vehicle was injured.

Inspector Shaffer had served with the United States Postal Inspection Service for nine years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-1A9E5106
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Postal Inspector Shaffer gave the United States Postal Inspection Service 9 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Postal Inspector Shaffer.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Arlington, VA
Platform Identity uspis.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 1951
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Postal Inspector Bruce Orrin Shaffer is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In VA, 203 of 654 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31% of this state's fallen.

At United States Postal Inspection Service, 8 of 14 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 57.1% of this agency's fallen.

United States Postal Inspection Service
8
of 14 officers
57.1% Accident
VA — Statewide
203
of 654 officers
31% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bruce Orrin Shaffer's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Bruce Orrin Shaffer Compares

Age at End of Watch
44
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
9
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Bruce Orrin Shaffer is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location