Paul D. Shaffer Jr. of Pine, a World War II veteran who spent nine months as a German prisoner of war, died Tuesday of lung cancer at Good Samaritan Hospice in Pine. He was 86.

A painter, carver and woodworker -- hobbies for which he had a passion -- Mr. Shaffer worked for employers that included Bethlehem Steel in Johnstown, where he was director of training. He was active in community groups such as the Boy Scouts of America and volunteered in his retirement as a patient liaison in the outpatient surgery area at what is now UPMC Passavant.

A native of Windber, Somerset County, Mr. Shaffer attended Penn State University.

During World War II, he served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps, later the Air Force, and was stationed overseas in Italy, his family said. He was a bombardier who flew aboard B-24s.

During his 11th mission, which involved bombing railroad yards in Munich, his plane made a forced landing at an airfield near Landsberg, Germany, after the co-pilot was fatally shot and the craft's engine lost power. The surviving crew members were captured, including Mr. Shaffer, who was taken to a camp near Barth, said Audrey Shaffer, his wife of 26 years. Her husband for decades spoke little about his war experiences.

"Even with his kids he never mentioned much," she said.

But before his death, he wrote a self-history that talked about the harsh conditions, including a Christmas morning when he and the other prisoners were summoned from their barracks and ordered to stand at attention throughout the day.

"They kept us standing in ranks until sundown in a foot of snow," her husband wrote. "Most of us ended up with frostbitten feet (but) got no medical attention."

Four decades later, he was reunited with most of the crew during a reunion in Dayton, Ohio.

"It was very emotional," Mrs. Shaffer said. "That was really wonderful."

After the war, he worked at Bethlehem Steel and later as manager of training at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. He retired in the mid-1980s.

Mr. Shaffer was a past commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 1247 Wexford and a 32nd Degree Mason, Williamsport Consistory. As a volunteer with the Boys Scouts, he held the posts of Scout leader, district commissioner and council commissioner.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Jerry of Martinsburg,W.Va.; a daughter, Patricia A. Watts of Chesterfield, Va.; stepdaughters Kimberly Charney of Mars and Lynne Connolly of Gibsonia; stepson James E. Huckestein Jr. of Saxonburg; three grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow at the Allegheny Cemetery Temple of Memories Mausoleum Chapel in Lawrenceville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, c/o Lung Cancer Research, 320 Bilmar Drive, Pittsburgh 15205.