| Boyd Wagner | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 26, 1916 Cambria County, Pennsylvania |
| Died | November 29, 1942 (aged 26) Walton County, Florida |
| Place of burial | Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army Air Force |
| Years of service | 1938 – 1942 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | 24th Pursuit Group 17th Pursuit Squadron 8th Fighter Group |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross Purple Heart Distinguished Flying Cross |
Lt. Col. Boyd David "Buzz" Wagner (October 26, 1916–November 29, 1942) was an American aviator and the first USAAF fighter ace of World War II.
Wagner was born October 26, 1916 in Emeigh, Cambria County, Pennsylvania, the son of Boyd M. Wagner and Elizabeth M. Moody Wagner.[1][2][3]
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He grew up in Nanty-Glo, near Johnstown, and studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh for three years before joining the Army Air Corps. He completed flight training in June 1938 and was assigned to duty in the Philippines with the 24th Pursuit Group. He was soon given command of the 17th Pursuit Squadron.[4]
He was nicknamed “Buzz” because it was said he could buzz the camouflage off a hangar roof.[5]
Wagner was a First Lieutenant commanding the 17th Pursuit Squadron stationed at Nichols Field on December 8, 1941 when the first Japanese air attacks struck the Philippines. On December 12, Wagner took off in a Curtiss P-40 on a solo reconnaissance mission over Aparri, where he was attacked by Japanese Zero fighter planes. He dove away from the attacking planes and then returned and shot down two of them. He was attacked by more Zeros as he strafed a nearby Japanese airfield and subsequently destroyed two of these planes as well before returning to Clark Field.[2]
On December 17 he led an attack on a Japanese airstrip near Vigan with Lieutenants Allison W. Strauss and Russell M. Church, Jr. Church was killed in the attack and posthumously received the Distinguished Service Cross. Wagner and Strauss continued the strafing attack on the airfield, damaging and destroying numerous Japanese planes. A sole Japanese Zero took off and attacked Wagner's plane but he chopped his throttle and caused the Zero to overshoot his plane. Once in position behind the Zero Wagner was able to shoot it down, becoming the first USAAF ace of World War II and earning a Distinguished Service Cross.[2]
At least one source states that Wagner's first five kills were not Zeros, but were IJAAF Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" fighter planes. This source does confirm his later kills were reported as Zeros but were impossible to verify from Japanese records.[6]
Attacking the Japanese again at Vigan on December 22, his plane was struck by enemy fire and he was wounded by glass splinters which struck his face and eyes. He returned to base safely and evacuated to Australia in January 1942.[2]
Wagner was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and assigned in April to the 8th Fighter Group in New Guinea flying the Bell P-39. At the time he was the youngest Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army.[5] On April 30, 1942 he shot down three Zeros, bringing his air-to-air kill total to 8 planes.[2]
It was decided higher up in the chain of command that Wagner's experience and knowledge would be more valuable back in the U.S., training fighter pilots and as a liaison to the Curtiss P-40 plant in Buffalo, New York, to help engineers improve the P-40's combat performance. Despite his protests at being pulled out of combat he was sent home to the States.[4][7]
On a routine flight in a P-40K from Eglin Field, Florida to Maxwell Field, Alabama on November 29, 1942, Wagner's plane disappeared.[4][5] After an extensive search what was left of the P-40 and Wagner's remains were found almost six weeks later in January 1943, 25 miles east of Eglin. The cause of the crash, if known, was never revealed.[7]
After the crash site was found, partial remains of Wagner were found and returned to Johnstown for burial. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 mourners attended his funeral at Grandview Cemetery in January 1943. Both Time Magazine and Life Magazine covered the event.[3][5]
After five years of research, retired Air Force Colonel Jim Moschgat rediscovered what he believed to be the crash site of Wagner's plane in Florida and found artifacts that tentatively confirmed the crash site was the correct one. Human remains were found at the site in 2008.[5] In 2010 the remains were confirmed as being LTC Wagner’s. His remains were buried with full military honors, to include a fly over by the U.S. Air Force at the Grandview Cemetery in Johnstown.[8]
In addition to the Distinguished Service Cross, Wagner also received the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Two schools at Clark Air Base were named in honor of Boyd Wagner: Wagner High School and Wagner Middle School.