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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.
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