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Personal info

Full name
WAGER, Evergard L "Bud"
Date of birth
8 June 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
McMillan, Luce County, Michigan
Hometown
Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan

Military service

Service number
O-686290
Rank
First Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
505th Fighter Squadron,
339th Fighter Group
Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
30 March 1945
Place of death
Northeast of Hamburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 36 32

Immediate family

Members
Douglas M. Ball (step-father)
Hazel S. (Smathers) Ball (mother)
Shirley Smathers (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-72065
Data
Type: P-51D
Nickname: Dibbo
Destination: Germany
Mission: Bomber Escort

More information

Evergard L. Wager joined the Regular Army in June 1940 and trained with an anti-tank unit at Fort Lewis, Washington. He studied radio operation at Fort Benning, Georgia and radio repair at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey and received his appointment as an aviation cadet in September 1942. After pre-flight training at Kelly Field, Texas and primary training at Cimarron Field, Oklahoma, he took advanced training at Altus, Oklahoma, where he was commissioned a second lieutenant in July 1943. He was sent overseas in March 1944.

He formerly was a B-24 bomber pilot in the 8th Air Force and completed 35 missions. He was assigned to train navigators for three months and when he had an opportunity to go back home, stayed in England and transferred to fighter planes. He had six weeks of transitional training, after which he flew on bomber escort missions.

Lt Wager was shot down by a Me-262, bailed out but his parachute failed to open properly.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / 1930/1940 Census, 339th Fighter Group Association, www.newspapers.com - Battle Creek Enquirer, History of the 339th FG

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Brandon Millburg, 339th Fighter Group Association