Robert Leffingwell Schanen was born on September 16, 1917, in Port Washington, Wisconsin. He was the son of William Frank Schanen and Laura Thien Leffingwell Schanen.

Robert was a graduate of St. Mary's and Port High schools. In 1939 he received his B.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin. In 1941 he received his L.L.B. degree. At the university, he was president of Delta Tau Delta. From June of that year until January 13, 1942, when he enlisted, he was associated with his father in the practice of law. The army at first trained him to be a pilot, but he was later transferred to the study of navigation. He received his wings on April 1, 1943. For the next two months, he was in training flights over America.

Robert served in the 571st Bomber Squadron, 390th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Second Lieutenant and Navigator of the B-17 #42-5903 'Ascend Charlie' during World War II. He was Killed in Action on September 16, 1943, when his airplane crashed into Pen Gwyllt Meirch, The Black Mountains, in Wales, UK. Having taken off from Framlingham Air Station in Suffolk to join a force of twenty-one B-17s on an operational mission over France, the bombing of the intended target had to be abandoned due to cloud cover, and instead, an opportunity target at La Rochelle in France was raided. During the attack, the aircraft was damaged by an anti-aircraft fire with the port-outer engine being put out of action. Returning from the attack the force encountered cloud and rain squalls, and on nearing the South West coast of England, the aircraft became separated from the formation. Around an hour later, at 21:20, 'Ascend Charlie' flew into the hilltop and burned out.

2Lt Schanen is now buried in the Saint Mary's Cemetery, Port Washington, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, Aircraft Wrecks: The Walker's Guide : Historic Crash Sites on the Moors and Mountains of the British Isles