11/12/2026
We Honor a Yonkers School Teacher wo was Killed in Action during World War II serving as an officer with B Company, 263rd Engineer Combat Battalion.
Gustave S Laffel was the first Yonkers school teacher I to lose his life in World War II.
Captain Gustave Laffel, thirty-six. of the Saunders Trades School, faculty, was killed in action in Germany on Armistice Day. Nov. 11, 1944, school officials were informed. Captain Laffel, who resided at the Y. M. C. A., was a bachelor, and was serving in the Corps of Engineers when killed in the vicinity of Metz-Saarburg. Mr. Laffel Couldn't Walt For Navy He entered the Army as a private Oct. 1, 1942, and "came up I the hard way." After preliminary training with combat engineers at Camp Shelby, Miss., he was selected to attend Officers' Candidate School at Fort Belvoir. Va., from which he was graduated and commissioned a second lieutenant. In May 19, 1943.
2Lt. Laffel was assigned to the 263rd Combat Engineers at Camp Bland ins, Fla., where he served while waiting travel orders. He came home on a brief visit to Yonkers and later was assigned to the 135th Engineers at Camp Van Doren, Miss., about 150 miles from Camp Shelby, where he had served as a private.
He was promoted to first lieutenant and sent to England, arriving there June 24. 1944. H as with General Patton in the sweep through France and was promoted to captain "in the field" on Sept. 1.
The officer was appointed to the Yonkers school's system in September. 1937, and served three years at Benjamin Franklin Junior High School as physical education instructor and athletic coach. In the Fall of 1939, he became the assistant football coach for Saunders.
He served at Saunders in a similar capacity until he obtained military leave to enlist as a private In the Army. He had tried to join Gene Tuiuiey in the Navy's physical education setup, but tired of awaiting acceptance, enlisted in the Army meanwhile, as he want ed to "get in the fight," his col leagues say. He was a graduate of State Teachers College at Westchester, Penn., where he received a Bachelor of Science degree and took a Master of Arts degree at Columbia University. He also took special work at New York University and the University of Cincinnati.
He was survived by his father, who was ill from a heart attack; and a brother, Sam, both of Flushing, L. I. Another brother is serving with the American Red Cross In Europe. On Tuesday he sent a N**i battle flag to David Knepfev, Main Street merchant and friend Harry DeVoe, a teacher at Saunders and a friend on that faculty received Captain Leffel's wristwatch that he had enclosed in a K-ration box, wrapped in a paper used to cover cheese and bearing the name "Saarburg Port, Salut-Kase." This apparently was sent to let Mr. Devoe know his whereabouts.
In a recent letter to "The Engine-Ear," published by., the Saunders Trades and Technical High School students. Captain Laffel wrote from France: "I have just received your copies of the Engin
& Ear and want to thank you for them. It sure is a swell paper and I show It to my other officers. "There were many times when my company was under fire and work had to be done that, I wished that I had with me some of the graduates of Saunders. "We have been at the front ever since we landed in France. If the weather lets up, we should be in Berlin sooner than it took use to get to Paris. 'When I Get Back' "I am going through quite an experience and, when I get back. I hope to let you in on what went on and what we should all do to prevent another such war. My best to you all.
Signed; Coach Laffel." He was a provisional member of the Teachers War Veterans of Yonkers.
Let Us Always Remember the Service and Sacrfice of the is True American Hero. Let Us Never Forget Captain Gustave S. Laffel.
