KLAFFER, Lyall Robert

  1. Service Details
  2. Personal Details
  3. Unit and Rank Details
  4. Awards and Honours
  5. Notes
  6. Sources

Service Details

Branch of Service
Air Force
Conflict
Korea (1950-1953)
Date of Enlistment
24/02/1947
Date of Discharge
24/02/1981
Place of Enlistment
Adelaide, South Australia

Personal Details

Gender
Male
Date of Birth
04/02/1928
Place of Birth
Prospect, South Australia
Address (at enlistment)
RAAF Base Canberra, (Fairbairn) ACT
School(s) Attended
Adelaide High School, School of Mines (Adelaide)
Occupation
Pilot

Unit and Rank Details

Service Number
O4218
Final Rank
Pilot III
Final Unit
77 Squadron

Awards and Honours

US Distinguished Flying Cross (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 22 June 1951), US Air Medal (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 22 June 1951), Air Force Cross (11 June 1960), Mention in Despatches (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 17 January 1952 and 10 November 1966), National Medal (14 July 1977), Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM, 12 June 1989)

Notes

Klaffer came from Adelaide and left school at 14 years to work at F.H. Faulding & Co. His ambition was to become a fighter pilot so he attended night school at the School of Mines to obtain his Leaving Certificate. He joined the Citizen's Air Force on 24 February 1947, then completed a course at the Air and Ground Radar School at Ballarat after which he was posted to RAAF Base Canberra serving with No.4 Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and 87 Squadron.

He had to enlist in the RAAF to be eligible for the first post war pilot course at Point Cook which he joined in February 1948. After initial training, Klaffer was sent to the Central Flying School at East Sale where he completed his course as the 'most proficient pilot' and was posted to No.3 Squadron at RAAF Canberra. He arrived in Canberra for the second time in October 1949 where he flew Mustangs with Ross Coburn and Bob Hunt.

On 15 September 1949 he was involved in a tragic accident south west of Canberra when his squadron was practising formation flying. Another pilot, Jack Edwards, clipped Klaffer's wing, and while Edwards managed to release his parachute, it failed and he crashed near Bonshaw. Klaffer was luckier and crash landed at Canberra airport. In July 1950 Klaffer was posted to East Sale again to attend a flying instructor's course but the Korean War had begun and pilots were needed for Australia's No.77 Squadron then based at Iwakuni in Japan. Before commencing his course, Klaffer was posted to 77 Squadron.

He served in Korea from 8 July 1950 to 7 April 1951 flying a Mustang in 105 operations over Korea. He was awarded the US Distinguished Flying Cross for his "aerial achievement over Korea on 13/12/1950" and was also Mentioned in Despatches.

After completing his tour in April 1951 he was posted to 75 Squadron in Malta but he was soon appointed as an aide-de-camp to the new Governor General, Sir William Slim, taking up his duties in April 1952 and serving with him until October 1952 after which he returned to his duties with the RAAF. Klaffer was posted to RAAF Base Williamtown near Newcastle in the late 1950s where he met and married Anne Clery. He was appointed to the Directorate of Flying Safety in Canberra in 1959 and moved to a house in Hannan Place, Ainslie. He and his wife's first child was born in Canberra in March 1962 but, by the end of the year, Klaffer was posted to East Sale. He served in the Vietnam conflict and was afterwards posted to the US. In January 1977 he moved to Canberra for the fourth time when he took up the position of Deputy Director General Personnel Services and later as Director General Co-ordination and Organisation RAAF. However, his stay lasted only ten months before he was posted to command RAAF Base Edinburgh near his home town of Adelaide.

Klaffer remained in charge at RAAF Edinburgh until in late 1980 he was offered a promotion to Defence headquarters in Canberra. Klaffer declined the offer for the benefit of his family and resigned his commission on 24 February 1981. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1989 for his service to the community, particularly through his contribution to the Australian bicentennial celebrations of 1988.

Sources

Nominal Roll of Australian Veterans of the Korean War http://www.koreanroll.gov.au/
ACT electoral rolls - 1951, 1961, 1977, 1978
George Odgers, 'Across the Parallel - the Australian 77th Squadron with the United States Air Force in the Korean War', 1953
David Wilson, 'Lion over Korea: 77 Fighter Squadron RAAF 1950-53', 1994
AWM Honours & Awards
AWM Collections Record : MSS2043, Lyall Klaffer, 'Fighter Pilot'
The Canberra Times - 17 September 1949, 24 September 1949, 18 January 1952, 1 June 1953, 2 June 1953, 29 July 1953, 8 September 1953
Advertiser (Adelaide) - 8 April 1953

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