Grew Up In:

Nanty-Glo, PA

Rank, Service:

US Army Air Corps, Lt. Col.

 

Years Served:

1938-1942

Places Served:

Randolph Field, TX,

27th Pursuit Squadron, Selfridge Field, MI

17th Pursuit Sqn, Luzon, Philippines

Australia

8th Fighter Group, Port Moresby, New Guinea,
Randolph Field, TX

Story:

Wagner was credited with eight kills and was the first American Ace in WWII. Buzz was killed when his P-40 crashed in Florida on 29 Nov 1942. Most of his remains were found and buried in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown, Pa where his parents had moved after he graduated from Nanty-Glo High School. In 2008, Col. J E Moschgat found Buzz’s crash site and recovered partial remains of Wagner and his 1934 Nanty-Glo high school ring. A memorial service was held at Buzz’s grave on 23 Oct 2010 to bury the remains found in 2008 and to give Buzz a fly-over that he did not receive in 1943. I was there.