World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Melvin F. Wagner
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin
Honored By
Mark Knapp
STAFF SERGEANT. TAIL GUNNER, ON THE FIRST 23 MISSIONS HE FLEW ABOARD THE SHIP 'MARY LOU' THE 24TH AND FINAL MISSION WAS FLOWN ON THE SHIP 'SHERRY'S CHERRIES' WITH THE 8TH ARMY AIR FORCE, 91ST BOMBER GROUP (HEAVY), 323RD SQUADRON. ON NOVEMBER 2, 1944, THE 8TH AIR FORCE LOST 38 B-17 AIRCRAFT IN ONE OF ITS MANY MISSIONS TO MERSEBURG, GERMANY. THE 91ST BOMB GROUP WAS HIT BY AT LEAST ONE ME-163, OVER 100 FW-190 AND ME-109 AIRCRAFT IN THE ENSUING AERIAL BATTLE THEY LOST 6 OF 12 SHIPS FROM THE 322ND BOMB SQUADRON, 5 OF THE 12 FROM THE 323RD BOMB GROUP AND 2 FROM THE 401ST BOMB SQUADRON. A TOTAL OF 13 OF THE 36 CREWS OF THE 91ST BOMB GROUP WERE MISSING IN ACTION THAT DAY. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION. IT WAS THIS CREW OF THE 323RD BOMB SQUADRON'S 24TH MISSION.