RAYMOND A WAGNER
VIEW ALL PHOTOS (7)
HONORED ON PANEL 2W, LINE 120 OF THE WALL

RAYMOND ANTHONY WAGNER

WALL NAME

RAYMOND A WAGNER

PANEL / LINE

2W/120

DATE OF BIRTH

10/22/1951

DATE OF CASUALTY

03/27/1972

HOME OF RECORD

EVANSVILLE

COUNTY OF RECORD

Vanderburgh County

STATE

IN

BRANCH OF SERVICE

AIR FORCE

RANK

A1C

Book a time
Contact Details
STATUS

MIA

ASSOCIATED ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

REMEMBRANCES

LEFT FOR RAYMOND ANTHONY WAGNER
POSTED ON 4.4.2019
POSTED BY: Randy Williams

Thank you for your sacrifice

I have worn your MIA bracelet since Basic Training at Lackland AFB in 1989. I have always worn it honoring you. Seeing your face this morning...I have no words. You are a hero.
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POSTED ON 7.3.2015

Final Mission of A1C Raymond A. Wagner

Altogether, the HH-53 'Super Jolly Green Giant' was the largest, fastest and most powerful heavy lift helicopter in the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1972. In 1967, the Air Force started a development program to acquire a night rescue capability, and by March 1971, it had succeeded in installing a nighttime recovery system aboard five HH-53C Super Jolly helicopters in Southeast Asia. The Super Jolly was involved in such famed rescue attempts as the attempt to rescue American POWs held at the Son Tay prison compound near Hanoi in late November 1970, and the assault operation to free the Mayaguez crew in May 1975. CAPT Richard E. Dreher and CAPT David E. Pannabecker were assigned as escort pilots as part of a day rescue mission and departed NKP at 0830 on the morning of March 27, 1972. Dreher and Pannabecker's Super Jolly was the second aircraft in a flight of two. Aboard the aircraft was the pararescue team consisting of SGT James Manor and A1C Raymond A. Wagner. SGT Raymond J. Crow Jr. was the helicopter crew chief. Following aerial refueling over southeastern Thailand, they departed the tanker to complete the mission, maintaining interplane communications on FM and UHF radios. The lead aircraft called a 'tally ho' on the aircraft they were escorting. When the lead aircraft did not receive an answer, the pilot attempted to find him visually without success. After completing a 180 degree turn, the pilot of the lead aircraft reported sighting a column of black smoke coming from the dense jungle five miles away. Their position at this time was in Stoeng Treng Province, Cambodia, about 10 miles southeast of the city of Siempang. A pararescue specialist was lowered to the ground at the site of the crash to check for survivors, but due to the intense heat from the burning helicopter, he could not approach near enough to determine if there were crew members inside the aircraft. Some three hours later a second rescue specialist was deployed in the immediate area, who reported the wreckage was still burning, precluding close inspection. It was never determined if any aboard the Super Jolly survived, but all aboard were declared KilledBody Not Recovered. In an attempt to classify the cases of the Missing in Action to determine which cases could be readily resolved, the Defense Department assigned 'enemy knowledge' categories to each missing man, according to the likelihood their fates would be known by the enemy. In the case of the downed Super Jolly, Wagner, Pannabecker and Dreher were assigned 'Category 2', and Manor and Crow 'Category 3'. Category 3 includes personnel whose loss incident is such that it is doubtful that the enemy would have knowledge of the specific individuals (e.g. aircrews lost over water or remote areas). Category 2 includes personnel who were lost in circumstances or in areas that they may reasonably be expected to be known by the enemy (e.g. individuals connected with an incident which was discussed but not identified by name by enemy news media, or probably identified by analysis of intelligence reports.) No explanation has been given as to why the crewmembers were classified differently. [Taken from pownetwork.org]
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POSTED ON 3.26.2014
POSTED BY: Curt Carter [email protected]

Remembering An American Hero

Dear A1C Raymond Anthony Wagner, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, Sir

Curt Carter
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POSTED ON 3.13.2013

Crash Information on U.S. Air Force helicopter HH-53C tail number 68-10359

Altogether, the HH-53 'Super Jolly Green Giant' was the largest, fastest and most powerful heavy lift helicopter in the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1972. In 1967, the Air Force started a development program to acquire a night rescue capability, and by March 1971, it had succeeded in installing a nighttime recovery system aboard five HH53C Super Jolly helicopters in Southeast Asia. The Super Jolly was involved in such famed rescue attempts as the attempt to rescue American POWs held at the Son Tay prison compound near Hanoi in late November 1970, and the assault operation to free the Mayaguez crew in May 1975. CAPT Richard E. Dreher and CAPT David E. Pannabecker were assigned as escort pilots as part of a day rescue mission and departed NKP at 0830 on the morning of March 27, 1972. Dreher and Pannabecker's Super Jolly was the second aircraft in a flight of two. Aboard the aircraft was the pararescue team consisting of SGT James Manor and A1C Raymond A. Wagner. SGT Raymond J. Crow Jr. was the helicopter crew chief. Following aerial refueling over southeastern Thailand, they departed the tanker to complete the mission, maintaining interplane communications on FM and UHF radios. The lead aircraft called a 'tally ho' on the aircraft they were escorting. When the lead aircraft did not receive an answer, the pilot attempted to find him visually without success. After completing a 180 degree turn, the pilot of the lead aircraft reported sighting a column of black smoke coming from the dense jungle five miles away. Their position at this time was in Stoeng Treng Province, Cambodia, about 10 miles southeast of the city of Siempang. A pararescue specialist was lowered to the ground at the site of the crash to check for survivors, but due to the intense heat from the burning helicopter, he could not approach near enough to determine if there were crew members inside the aircraft. Some three hours later a second rescue specialist was deployed in the immediate area, who reported the wreckage was still burning, precluding close inspection. It was never determined if any aboard the Super Jolly survived, but all aboard were declared KilledBody Not Recovered. In an attempt to classify the cases of the Missing in Action to determine which cases could be readily resolved, the Defense Department assigned 'enemy knowledge' categories to each missing man, according to the likelihood their fates would be known by the enemy. In the case of the downed Super Jolly, Wagner, Pannabecker and Dreher were assigned 'Category 2', and Manor and Crow 'Category 3'. Category 3 includes personnel whose loss incident is such that it is doubtful that the enemy would have knowledge of the specific individuals (e.g. aircrews lost over water or remote areas). Category 2 includes personnel who were lost in circumstances or in areas that they may reasonably be expected to be known by the enemy (e.g. individuals connected with an incident which was discussed but not identified by name by enemy news media, or probably identified by analysis of intelligence reports.) No explanation has been given as to why the crewmembers were classified differently. [Taken from vhpa.org]

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POSTED ON 12.31.2012
POSTED BY: Robert Sage

We Remember

Raymond is remembered on a stone at St Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Evansville,IN along with both of his parents.

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