Lt. Col. Boyd "Buzz" Wagner - First Ace of WWII - My Newspaper Clipping Collection

 

Lt. Col Boyd David "Buzz" Wagner (October 26, 1916 - November 29, 1942) was the First United States Army Air Corp (Force) - Fighter Ace of World War II. He was born in Emeigh, Cambria County and grew up in the Nanty Glo area before their family later moved to Johnstown. The following clippings are from a scrapbook of WWII soldiers that my mother's cousin - Erma Rose Gloor - kept during the war. She was a childhood friend of Wagner's. And I know that members of my own family went to his funeral at Grandview. My grandmother said that the line to get into the cemetery reached the whole way down Millcreek Road. He was also written up in LIFE Magazine but I no longer have access to that since I donated it. 

 

Odds & Ends - Buzz Wagner - 12 December 1953 - The Tribune-Democrat

To enlarge - CLICK HERE.

 

Wagner Gets Full Military Funeral - 1943

 

First WWII Ace - Buzz Wagner

 

Rewarded for Finding 'Buzz' - 9 February 1943 - The Johnstown Tribune

Florida farmer Dave Evans found the wreckage and body of Boyd "Buzz" Wagner missing since November of 1942.

 

Popularity of Buzz Wagner - 21 January 1943

World War Two Flying Ace.
 

First Ace of WWII

A friend of mine sent in this great colorized shot of our very own Boyd (Buzz) Wagner - the First Ace of World War Two. Born and raised right here in and around the Johnstown area.

Buzz Wagner

Buzz Wagner clipping 15 December 1941

Buzz Wagner - Dedication of P-40

For those of you who couldn't make it to the special dedication ceremony up the airport for Buzz Wagner - the First Ace of WWII - this is in honor of Buzz and all the men and women who fought and served our country abroad and in the home front during World War Two.

Buzz Wagner Funeral

Not the best of shots - but a rare one - the funeral of the first Ace of WWII - Buzz Wagner up Grandview Cemetery.

Rewarded for Finding Buzz

Lt. Col. Jack Bowman hands a $1,000 check to Dave Evans who found the body of WWII Fighter Ace - Buzz Wagner.

Buzz Wagner's Sister - 1941

This clipping from December 20, 1941 - shows Phyllis Wagner who is a senior at Indiana State Teachers College (IUP).

Buzz Wagner - Final Tribute - 1943

Newspaper clipping from January 9, 1943 on the death of Buzz Wagner. The clippings are so large that they really don't scan properly. Double click to enlarge.

Buzz Wagner

On this Flag Day - More on Buzz Wagner from an October 22, 1942 newspaper clipping.

Wagner Bomber Campaign

Buzz Wagner - First Ace of WWII - Bomber Campaign

Buzz Wagner - Thousands Pay Tribute - 1943

This is the second half of the clipping - I had to break it up - since it's so large.