In Support of WP-ORGPlease Donate Online
West Point Societies WP-ORG Services WP-ORG Home West Point Parents USMA Class Year Groups Greater West Point Family and Friends About WP-ORG
 

15679 Hagan, Frank Stevens
September 04, 1925 - March 06, 1951

usma1946

 

 

 MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Oct '51

Frank Stevens Hagan    NO. 15679  Class of 1946 
Killed March 6, 1951, In A Plane Crash: Near Langley Air Force Base, VA, aged 25 years.

FRANK STEVENS HAGAN was born into an Army family on 4 September 1925, at Spartanburg, South Carolina. His early life was much the same as that of any other Army "brat" in peacetime -- a succession of moves as his father received new assignments. The most memorable station of all was Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, for here Frank began to think about being an officer himself one day. And already his parents were hoping to send him to West Point.

Major Hagan brought his family back to the States in 1934 and became an ROTC instructor at Louisiana State University. All of the family were pleased with beautiful Baton Rouge, and it was forever after proudly claimed as "home" by Frank. Nothing was more natural than for the Hagans to settle there when failing health forced Major Hagan to retire in 1939. Frank's ambition to become an officer was strengthened with that turn of events, and he redoubled his efforts toward qualifying for the Academy. At the same time he was steadily expanding his accomplishments in other fields. Most notable of these was model aircraft building. Frank started building and flying model airplanes at a very early age, and he was to continue doing so for the rest of his life. Undoubtedly, model building was the factor that caused him to readjust his ambitions slightly and decide to become a flying officer.

The Baton Rouge high schools offered fine training but few problems to Frank. He finished high in his class and was selected for various scholastic societies. Hastening his preparations for entering the Academy, he entered Louisiana State University in 1942. Shortly thereafter he won his appointment from the 6th District, Louisiana. In the time that it took him to pass all mental and physical examinations, Frank was able to complete more than a year of training at LSU, training that was to stand him in good stead at West Point. Also, be gained additional inspiration at this time. It was near the end of his final year in high school that Frank began dating Sara Lou Fidler, a dark haired, dark eyed beauty from Baton Rouge. And, even though he wasn't any too sure of his chances, he quietly added another goal for the future. They continued dating while enrolled as students at LSU. Just before Frank left for West Point in July 1943, Sara accepted his fraternity pin.

In three years at the United States Military Academy Frank Hagan's record continued to be excellent in all respects. He devoted more time to his classmates and extra-curricular activities than he did to studies and tactics, yet he finished well up in the top half of the class in everything. He took a vigorous if not spectacular part in athletics.

In the Spring of his Yearling year, Frank laid the groundwork for attaining his dream of becoming a pilot. He entered primary training then, and thereafter, or at least an often as the Academy routine would permit, he ate, drank and lived flying. When he wasn't actually flying himself, he was talking flying or playing with models that kept him as close to it as he could get.

The highest points In his three years at West, Point were the three visits of Sara Fidler, his sweetheart, and that day in April 1945 when he departed for Brady, Texas, bound for flying training; the lowest point came at Graduation in 1946 when Major Hagan became seriously ill enroute to the ceremonies and had to abandon the long laid plans for seeing Frank graduate from West Point.

After graduation on 4 June 1946, Frank headed for Baton Rouge with yellow bars, silver wings, new uniforms, and forty-five days of leave. He and Sara had decided to wait a while longer before getting married In order to subject their love to tests that could not have been made while Frank was within the "gray walls". Beginning in mid-July, Frank completed three months of fighter transition training at Williams Field, Arizona, then was assigned to Biggs Field, Texas. By December, as far as he was concerned the test was over. He returned to Baton Rouge and married Sara on 27 December 1946. There followed a very happy eighteen months in spite of long periods of TDY, exorbitant rents, inferior quarters and all of the other trials of a Second Lieutenant. Frank was flying B-26's now and was fast earning a reputation as a promising officer and an able pilot,

In June 1948 he got orders for an overseas assignment -- Japan. Eight long but Interesting months later Sara joined him; the interest was multiplied and the months were shortened. Sight-seeing tours, shopping tours, suki-yaki parties, new bases and splendid assignments were the lot of the Hagans then. It was into this happy home that their son, Harry Lee, was born on 8 January 1950. Frank's joy could scarcely be contained; his happiness was complete.

The outbreak of the Korean War hit occupational personnel in Japan very hard, especially those whose families were in the theater with them. Nonetheless, Frank was among the first to volunteer for those "earliest missions when clouds and rain were so heavy as to make flying in itself hazardous, not to mention the risks involved in seeking out the enemy over his own land. Those of us who knew the odds against him and heard his crew describe his first mission also knew, when we saw Hagan bring his damaged aircraft home safely in a driving rain, that we were privileged to know a great young officer capable of tremendous accomplishments.

Frank completed fifty-five missions over Korea. His more prominent awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air Medals. He received a spot promotion to captain In October, being one of the first in his class to be so honored.

In January 1951, after having spent more than six months away from Sara and his baby, Frank was ordered to the States for reassignment. Full of the joy that comes with the realization of a distant dream, he readied his family for their return to the United States and home after thirty months overseas.

The Hagans arrived home on 18 January 1951 and proceeded to enjoy forty-five days of reunion and appreciation of American living. On 1 March they reported to Langley Air Force Base, where Frank's new assignment was in the capacity of instructor pilot in a B-26 combat crew training unit. Just five days after reporting in, while flying a practice bombing mission, his aircraft was struck by another and crashed in the water some two miles from shore. The complete circumstances are not known, because no one in Frank's crew survived and no one in the other aircraft was aware that a collision had occurred.

We do not understand why Frank should have been stricken from our midst so suddenly and violently. Many times it has been said that the good die young. In any case, those of us who knew and loved you count our lives as being better for having known you and associated with you, Frank. As you take your place in the Long Gray Line, may you go with God.

                           -Elbert M. Stringer, a Classmate.
 
 
 
 
Personal Eulogy
deceased 

ADMIN
Return Home