Colorado
WWII soldier ID’d and laid to rest in Colorado hometown 80 years after his death in combat
A World War II soldier was finally brought back home to Colorado 80 years after he was killed in combat overseas.
Staff Sgt. Harold Schafer was buried at Denvers’ Fort Logan National Cemetery Monday morning with a full military honors service — complete with bagpipes and a 21-gun salute — after he was killed while fighting in Germany in 1944. He was 28 years old.
The young soldier joined the Army in 1943 and was shipped to Europe the following year as part of the 90th Infantry Division. His unit crossed the Saar River on Dec. 6, 1944, and attempted to capture and hold the towns of Pachten and Dillingen, Germany, according to the US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
Four days later, Schafer was “mortally wounded” by machine gun fire. His fellow servicemen were unable to recover his body and those of other fallen soldiers before relocating to a safe area, according to the agency.
After the war, the American Graves Registration Command conducted several investigations in the Pachten-Dillingen area from 1946 to 1950, recovering and identifying bodies of servicemen from Schater’s division who had been buried at a civilian cemetery in Reimsbach, Germany.
But they were unable to match the young Denver soldier with a body and his remains wouldn’t be identified until many years later on Sept. 26, 2023, the agency reported.
Schafer was reportedly killed in a foxhole while trying to help a fellow soldier, CBS News reported.
“It was just heartbreaking, especially to my grandma,” Barb Bernhard, Schafer’s niece, told the news station of his death. “My grandma was never the same.”
The family’s pain was only exacerbated by the reality that they never got to bury Schafer’s body.
The identification so many years later was a welcome surprise.
“I was just so happy and amazed,” Bernhardt said to CBS.
She said Monday’s service brought her family both relief and peace as they finally got to honor her uncle and lay him to rest.
“Grandma, we got him home. He’s home. It’s all you ever wanted was to have him home,” Bernhardt said.
Damage assessments are still ongoing for homes and businesses affected by the Aspen Acres Fire in southern Colorado, but over 200 homes have been confirmed destroyed so far. The United Way of Southern Colorado is working to raise relief funds for those affected and says it’s making progress towards its fundraising goal.
In an update on Wednesday afternoon, Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero said they’ve assessed approximately 67% of the properties affected in the county. Authorities have confirmed the loss of 192 homes and four commercial structures so far and are working to contact property owners as quickly as possible.
Lucero urged everyone affected by the fire to use the survivor portal for more information on assistance.
Custer County Sheriff Rich Smith says they’ve lost approximately 83 homes so far, almost 2% of the county’s homes. The worst hit area is along the Highway 165 corridor, Smith added. He said that authorities don’t expect any new evacuation areas, but are not yet ready to release the existing evacuation orders.
Smith said a hotline is available during business hours for affected Custer County Residents to ask questions. He urged residents to contact them at (719) 467-0271 and advised they may need to leave a voicemail if the line is busy due to the high number of calls.
A flash flood watch is in effect for areas near the burn scar, which could affect nearby homes.
The President of the United Way of Southern Colorado, Shanna Farmer, said the organization is working to raise wildfire relief funds for those affected. Over the last few days, they have reached just over $417,000 of their $10 million goal.
“It has been incredible, the number of individuals and companies who have come out to support, to provide matches, and to provide innovative ways to raise those funds,” said Farmer. “And so, I encourage anyone who is willing to work with us on a corporate, business, or individual level to please reach out because it is going to take all of us to help rebuild.”
Farmer said that the community not only needs help with their immediate needs but also long-term support. She urged anyone interested in donating to visit their website.
The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office says anyone who has evacuated needs to contact the Disaster Assistance Center located at 29 Lehigh Ave. in Pueblo. The center is open between 9 a.m and 6 p.m. and provides multiple resources for those forced to evacuate.
Residents must also visit the center to obtain a re-entry pass, which will allow them to return home once evacuation orders have been lifted. A photo ID and proof of residency are required. Visitors can sign up online to reserve a place in line for faster service.
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Colorado
Julian Lewis Says Deion Sanders’ Colorado ‘Wasn’t Really Looking at Defenses Much’ Last Season
Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis made a stunning admission that could explain the team’s 3-9 finish to the 2025 season.
While speaking to ESPNU at Big 12 media days, Lewis was asked what the biggest difference was between last year and this year, and he revealed that the Deion Sanders-coached Buffaloes typically didn’t watch film during his first season with the team.
“My play, I’m actually looking at the defenses now,” Lewis said. “Last year, we wasn’t really looking at defenses much, just kind of high school free-balling, just out there playing football. But it’s a lot bigger than that now, so it should be fun.”
Before taking a redshirt year, Lewis played in four games as a true freshman with two starts and threw for 589 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 55.3 percent of his passes. He should fare even better this season with the benefit of film study.
Lewis will enter the 2026 campaign as Colorado’s starting quarterback, so he will have the opportunity to show his improvements when the Buffaloes open the year against Georgia Tech on Sept. 3.
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