World War II Honoree

Howard Richard Wagner

Branch of Service

U.S. Coast Guard

Hometown

Rush County, Kansas

Honored By

A Grateful American

SERVED AS A RADIO OPERATOR AT A LIGHT STATION ON AKUTAN ISLAND, LOCATED IN THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA. DURING THE JAPANESE AIR RAID ON DUTCH HARBOR, A MITSUBISHI MODEL 21 'ZERO' WAS HIT BY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE. THE PLANE LANDED ON AKUTAN, AND WAS THE FIRST FULLY INTACT FIGHTER PLAN TAKEN BY AMERICAN FORCES. HE CONTACTED HIS SUPERIORS IN THE NAVY ABOUT THE SIGHTING OF THE PLANE. HE WAS WOUNDED BY GUNFIRE FROM A RAIDING PARTY THAT HAD COME ASHORE FROM A JAPANESE SUBMARINE. THERE WERE NO MEDICS ON THIS ISLAND, HE HAD TO PERFORM SURGERY UPON HIMSELF TO REMOVE A BULLET FROM HIS LEG. HE RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART.