THE WALL OF FACES

I have treasured Major Hagan's MIA bracelet since I was a student at UGA. When the Memorial Wall traveled to Lincolnton, Ga, I wore his bracelet, searched for his name, and was relieved to find that he is no longer missing. I'm not sure if his family ever received one of his MIA bracelets. If his family doesn't have one and would like mine, I would love to share it with them. I know they will treasure it even more than I do. Thank you for your service, Major John R Hagan.

John R. Hagan
HOME OF RECORD:
Savannah, Georgia

Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Battalion: 2d Battalion
Division: 3d Marine Division (Rein.), FMF
GENERAL ORDERS:
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant John R. Hagan (MCSN: 0-102650), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as Platoon Commander with Company G, Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division in connection with operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. On 19 April 1968, Second Lieutenant Hagan's unit was dispatched to a bridge site between Ca Lu and Khe Sanh to assist elements of his company which were heavily engaged with a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force employing mortars, rockets, small arms and automatic weapons. Earlier in the day a security force and a convoy had been ambushed at the bridge and were pinned down and sustained numerous casualties. Upon arrival at the site, Second Lieutenant Hagan unhesitatingly advanced to the point of heaviest contact and deployed his men to recover casualties from the bridge area. Repeatedly exposing himself to intense enemy fire, he moved from one position to another, aiding the wounded and directing their evacuation to covered positions. On one occasion when he became pinned down by the heavy volume of hostile fire along both sides of the narrow road, he crawled to a tank and directed the movement of the vehicle into the hazardous area, aiding in the evacuation of the casualties from the fire-swept battle area. During the night, Second Lieutenant Hagan disregarded the dangers of numerous booby traps and mines as he maneuvered throughout the difficult, mountainous terrain to ensure that all casualties had been recovered and evacuated to the relative safety of the company perimeter. The following day and night, he refused to return to the command post and remained in the area to direct mortar fire against the enemy positions and assist a reinforcing company which was pursuing the fleeing enemy. His heroic actions undoubtedly saved several Marine lives and were instrumental in the subsequent defeat of the enemy force, resulting in twenty-four North Vietnamese soldiers confirmed killed. By his extraordinary courage, indomitable fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty, Second Lieutenant Hagan upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.

MAJ Norman K. Billipp was a U.S. Marine reconnaissance pilot and MAJ John R. Hagan his aerial observer. On May 6, 1969, they were in a Cessna O-1G (#156682) Bird Dog from Marine Observation Squadron 6 (VMO-6). They had been assigned an AO (Area of Operations) along Route 9 past Khe Sahn to the Lao Bao prison on the border in Northern I Corps. The day was marked by massive thunderstorms in the area, and Billipp and Hagan failed to return to Quang Tri after their normal 2.5 hours of flight time. An extensive air search was instituted with negative results. It is unknown what happened to the flight. They may not have heard the general recall due to weather, or perhaps it didn't look that bad where they were. It is highly probable that they waited too long and got caught in a storm cell. No transmissions were heard and a multi-day search revealed nothing. Both Marines were put into a status of Missing in Action. In 1996, a crash site was excavated in Laos in which items were recovered that positively identified the remains of both crewmen. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and popasmoke.com]

For 27 years our family grieved for the loss of Bob, a shining star of our clan, his fate unknown after his O-1 plane didn't return on 5/6/69. I'm so grateful his remains were returned in 1996 while his parents were still alive to bury him.

Bob was my neighbor and very good friend in high school in Lake Hills in Chattanooga, TN. We both went to Vanderbilt and he was always there for me if I needed anything. He was a wonderful and faithful friend and I miss him with all my heart.