John Waggener

John "Jack" Garnett Waggener (August 17, 1925 – February 3, 2017) was an American military officer who served as Commanding General of the United States Army Engineer Training Center at Fort Leonard Wood.

Biography

Born in Gideon, Missouri, Waggener grew up in Charleston, Missouri where he graduated from high school. In 1948, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He also lived for 19 years in the Lake of the Ozarks. His final assignment was as Commanding General of the U.S. Army Engineer Training Center at Fort Leonard Wood where he retired after 29 years of service. On May 30, 2003, Congressman Ike Skelton dedicated a new gate and entrance to the fort as Waggener Gate at Fort Leonard Wood. Waggener received many awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (with four oak leaf clusters), the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Army Commendation with an oak leaf cluster. His grandson attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. In 2021, Waggener was posthumously inducted into the Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame.