Frank Dechant Wagner

Frank Dechant Wagner (August 22, 1893 – January 9, 1966) was a highly decorated Naval aviator in the United States Navy with the rank of vice admiral. A Naval Academy graduate, Wagner distinguished himself as commander of Patrol Wing Ten during operations against the enemy in the early weeks of the Japanese Invasion of the Philippines. He was then promoted to the general officer's rank and served as commander, Aircraft, Seventh Fleet during liberation of the Philippines in 1944–1945.

He then participated in the escort duty with the Atlantic Fleet until early 1918, when he was ordered back to the States for torpedo instruction at Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island. Upon the completion of the instruction, Wagner joined the newly commissioned destroyer Lea under the command of future admiral, then-lieutenant commander David W. Bagley.

He completed the training, being designated Naval aviator in December 1921 and was assigned to the Air Squadrons, Battle Fleet, operating in the Pacific Ocean. Wagner returned to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, in June 1923 and served as an instructor of flying until the end of August 1925, when he was transferred to the Naval Air Station Anacostia in Washington, D.C.

Wagner was promoted to lieutenant commander on January 19, 1926, and after brief tour on the staff of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, he was assigned to the staff of commander, Air Squadrons, Battle Fleet under Rear admiral Joseph M. Reeves in July 1926. He then assumed command of Fighting Squadron 2 and led it during the first dive bombing exercise and his Curtiss F6C Hawks and FB-5s, scored 19 hits with 45 bombs on a target 100 feet by 45 feet.

In July 1929, Wagner was transferred to the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C., and served under Rear admiral William A. Moffett until June 1933, when he joined seaplane tender Langley under Captain Kenneth Whiting. The Langley operated off the California coast and Hawaii engaged in training fleet units, experimentation, pilot training, and tactical-fleet problems.

Wagner was later transferred to the staff of Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet under his former superior officer, Admiral Joseph M. Reeves and was promoted to commander on January 1, 1936. He served as Aviation officer aboard battleship Pennsylvania, the flagship of Admiral Reeves, and participated in the Fleet Problem XIV, off the coast of California.

He was transferred to the Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, in June that year and served as Station's Executive officer until June 1939, when he was transferred to Lexington as executive officer under Captain John H. Hoover. Wagner participated in the Fleet Problem XX off the Hawaii and was given his own command in mid-June 1940, when he assumed command of seaplane tender, Langley, where he served in 1933.

The Langley was stationed in Manila, the Philippines, as a part of the Asiatic Fleet and Wagner held that command until July 1941, when he was promoted to captain and appointed commander, Patrol Wing 10 (PatWing10), also stationed in the Far East.

World War II Philippines campaign 1941-1942 Wagner (center) receives Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service in the Philippines from Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox. Rear admiral Randall Jacobs, Chief of Bureau of Naval Personnel looks on. The PatWing 10 was located at Naval Station Cavite and consisted of seaplanes tender Langley (Wagner's previous command); destroyers Childs and William B. Preston; minesweeper Heron; and patrol squadrons VP-101 and VP-102. Wagner's wing conducted neutrality patrols in South China Sea and he witnessed the situation in nearby China, where Imperial Japanese Army fought the Chinese during Second Sino-Japanese War.

He was detached from the War Plans Division and assumed duty as commander, Fleet Air Command, Seattle, while retained his additional duty at the Permanent Joint Board on Defense. In February 1943, Wagner was succeeded by Captain John P. Whitney in the Board of Defense and joined the Office of the Vice Chief of Naval Operations under Vice admiral Frederick J. Horne as Director of the Aviation Division.

In mid-August 1943, Wagner was transferred to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and assumed duty as Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air under Vice admiral John S. McCain. He participated in the expansion of Naval Air Transport Service, a network of airlines that has greatly eased the transportation burden in all parts of the globe. Wagner received Legion of Merit for his service in this capacity.

He then joined the staff of Seventh Fleet under Vice admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid as commander, Air, Seventh Fleet. While in this capacity, Wagner had all fleet's aircraft under his command and commanded them during operations on New Guinea, liberation of the Philippine Islands and Borneo. He distinguished in this capacity and received his second Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

In June 1948, Wagner was transferred to San Diego, California, where he was appointed commander, Air Fleet, West Coast, responsible for all Naval Air units, including naval air station; training facilities and squadrons; and defense of the West Coast. He was transferred to Kodiak, Alaska, by the end of May 1949 and assumed duty as commandant, Seventeenth Naval District. His district consisted of the following geographic area: Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands and Wagner was responsible for its defense until the end of May 1950.

Wagner was subsequently ordered to the headquarters of Twelfth Naval district at Mare Island Navy Yard in Vallejo, California, awaiting retirement. He retired from active duty on July 1, 1950, after 35 years of service and was advanced to the rank of vice admiral on the retired list for having been specially commended in combat.

Retirement

After retiring from the Navy in 1950, Wagner settled in Pensacola, Florida, where he had been stationed several times during his career. He was a member of the Episcopal Church.

He was killed in the traffic crash when the car he was ridding collided with a state dump truck on the state intersection near Foley, Alabama. The car was driven by his wife, Catherine, who survived the crash. Vice admiral Frank D. Wagner was buried at Edgewood Cemetery in his native Pottstown, Pennsylvania, with Admirals Matthias B. Gardner, Austin K. Doyle and William Sinton as pallbearers.