World War II Honoree

John Jacob Wagner

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Kokomo, Indiana

Honored By

Gale A. Leiter

Relationship

First Cousin Once Removed

HE RECEIVED TRAINING AS A BOMBARDIER AND WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 94TH BOMB GROUP HEAVY. HE ARRIVED IN ENGLAND WITH THE BOMB GROUP AND FLEW 25 MISSIONS. HE RECEIVED THE AIR MEDAL WITH THREE OAK LEAVES AND WHEN HE PARTICIPATED IN THE REGENSBURG TO AFRICA MISSION (SCHWEINFURT-REGENSBURG MISSION), HE WAS CREDITED WITH SHOOTING DOWN A MESSERSCHMITT 110 AND WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS. THE PLANE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO WAS THE RAIDER AND LATER RAIDER II. BEFORE GOING ON ONE MISSION, HE ESCORTED BOB HOPE AND FRANCES LANGFORD THROUGH HIS PLANE. AFTER RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO TRAIN AS A BOMBARDIER IN A B-29, BUT THE WAR ENDED BEFORE HE SERVED IN COMBAT IN THAT PLANE.