Frank Dechant Wagner (August 22, 1893 – January 9, 1966) was a highly decorated Naval aviator in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral. A Naval Academy graduate, Wagner distinguished himself as Commander of Patrol Wing Ten during operations against the enemy in the early weeks of the Japanese Invasion of the Philippines. He was then promoted to the general officer's rank and served as Commander, Aircraft, Seventh Fleet during liberation of the Philippines in 1944–1945.
Following the War, Wagner served as Chief of Naval Air Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, and completed his career as Commandant, 17th Naval District with headquarters at Kodiak, Alaska.
Early career
Frank D. Wagner was born on August 22, 1893, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, as the son of Jonas and Adelaide Wagner (née Dechant). When, Wagner was ten years old, his mother died. He continued to live with his older sister and father, a Bank president. Young Frank graduated from Pottstown Senior High School in summer 1911 and received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. The next year, Wagner lost his sister to tuberculosis and his father a short time later; Wagner had no immediate family.
While at the Academy, he was active in class football, baseball and wrestling and was nicknamed "Honus" and "Fwankie Dear" due to his care-free and easy going personality. Wagner also took part in the Midshipmen cruise aboard the battleship Nebraska off the coast of Veracruz during the Mexican Revolution.
Many of his classmates became distinguished general officers later: Arthur C. Davis, Francis S. Low, Lynde D. McCormick, Arthur D. Struble, Ralph W. Christie, John L. McCrea, Ralph J. Mitchell, Harvey Overesch, Pedro del Valle, Archie F. Howard, Howard L. Vickery, Richard W. Bates, Henry P. Burnett, DeWitt Peck, Oliver H. Ritchie, James M. Shoemaker, Scott Umsted or Raymond R. Wright.
Wagner graduated with Bachelor of Science degree on June 5, 1915, and was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy on that date. He was subsequently attached to the protected cruiser Des Moines and took part in the patrol cruises to the Middle East. Wagner was still serving aboard Des Moines, when the United States entered the World War I, and he was successively promoted to the ranks of Lieutenant (junior grade) and Lieutenant.
He then participated in the escort duty with the Atlantic Fleet until early 1918, when he was ordered back to the States for torpedo instruction at Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island. Upon the completion of the instruction, Wagner joined the newly commissioned destroyer Lea under the command of future admiral, then-lieutenant commander David W. Bagley.
Wagner served aboard Lea in Atlantic just until early 1919, when he was transferred to destroyer McKean and then to Herbert. He participated in another tour of patrol cruises in the Mediterranean and South Atlantic, before he was ordered to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, for flight training in December 1920.
He completed the training, being designated Naval aviator in December 1921 and was assigned to the Air Squadrons, Battle Fleet, operating in the Pacific Ocean. Wagner returned to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, in June 1923 and served as an instructor of flying until the end of August 1925, when he was transferred to the Naval Air Station Anacostia in Washington, D.C.
Wagner was promoted to Lieutenant commander on January 19, 1926, and after brief tour on the staff of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, he was assigned to the staff of Commander, Air Squadrons, Battle Fleet under Rear admiral Joseph M. Reeves in July 1926. He then assumed command of Fighting Squadron 2 and led it during the first dive bombing exercise and his Curtiss F6C Hawks and FB-5s, scored 19 hits with 45 bombs on a target 100 feet by 45 feet.
In July 1929, Wagner was transferred to the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C. and served under Rear admiral William A. Moffett until June 1933, when he joined seaplane tender Langley under Captain Kenneth Whiting. The Langley operated off the California coast and Hawaii engaged in training fleet units, experimentation, pilot training, and tactical-fleet problems.
Wagner was later transferred to the staff of Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet under his former superior officer, Admiral Joseph M. Reeves and was promoted to Commander on January 1, 1936. He served as Aviation officer aboard battleship Pennsylvania, the flagship of Admiral Reeves, and participated in the Fleet Problem XIV, off the coast of California.