Air Force was the way to go for Calvin ‘Rick’ Wagner

 

Ridgeway - Our veterans past and present have helped preserve order and safety across the globe. One of those veterans is Calvin “Rick” Wagner of Ridgeway
When one meets Wagner, you see a jovial, retired gentleman with a twinkle in his sky blue eyes. What you may not see is the veteran who helped keep the Republic F-105 Thunderchief and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom in the air for the Air Force.
Wagner served in the Air Force from 1963-1967. But that was not the original plan.
“I wasn’t going to college and was going to go to the Marines through the draft,” said Wagner. “I was 4-F’d because I had a hernia. I got it fixed and went into the Air Force in 1963, Dec. 17.”
Assigned to work on electronic auto parts systems for aircraft, Wagner shared it wasn’t a piece of cake.
“They tested the hell out of you,” he continued. “It was pretty sophisticated and computerized. You could put in the coordinates in those plans and they could fly by themselves. We took computer information from other parts of the aircraft and put it into the system.”
Wagner went to basic training in Lackland Airforce Base, San Antonio, Texas, for six weeks. He then went to Amarillo Air Force Base and studied to be an auto pilot technician.
“When you went to school, your back couldn’t touch the back of the chair,” shared Wagner. “They wanted to keep you awake. After we finished school, we got orders to ship us all out—Viet Nam, Germany and States.”
 
Stationed in Germany
Wagner went to Germany for the rest of his service; roughly three-and-a-half years. He was assigned to Bitburg Air Base, Bitburg, Germany.
“There were 10,000 of us stationed at that base,” he said. “After two months, I went downtown for a party, and the first girl I talked to had the same last name as me. I couldn’t believe it, so I asked to see her ID. And she wasn’t lying. Her last name was Wagner. She came from Cologne. Coincidently my dad’s family was from that area.”
During his stay in Germany, the auto pilot techs often flew in and out to other countries to work on the planes.
“I went to Wheelus Air Base in Libya several times because pilots were being trained there to drop bombs in designated areas. We were rotated in and out; going down for 60 days at a time. I was there, as well as others, to keep the planes running.”
In retrospect one of the things that stands apart from regular duties while in Libya was when he saw Muammar Gaddafi.
“I saw Gaddafi myself on the base in Libya,” said Wagner. “He was a Lieutenant at the time. Back then they had three F-86’s in the Libyan military. 
“Those aircraft were from the Korean War and considered vintage aircraft.”
But it wasn’t all work while Wagner was in Libya. He and others went to see Roman Ruins while stationed at the base.
“Those marble baths still held water,” he recalled. “Oh, and did I mention our food? Everything was dehydrated because it was well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. All the food was dehydrated including eggs and milk. And everything was shipped in by plane. The only fresh food we had was fruits and vegetables. I remember the Mediterranean Sea was bluer than the sky above. The base was off the cover, and it was beautiful.”
Wagner also traveled to the Netherlands to work on aircraft as well as Libya. Those rotations were for two weeks at a time.
 
Almost Re-upped
Wagner enjoyed serving in the Air Force and considered re-upping until……
“I enjoyed the Air Force and I was good at what I did,”he noted. “I almost stayed in.”
That is until he was told to report to the Commander in charge of Armor & Electronic Department at Bitburg Air Force Base, about two-and-a-half years in.
“He called me in and put me on grass duty every weekend for the rest of that summer. I didn’t forget it, and when it came time to re-up a year-and-a-half later, I politely refused. I saluted him, about faced and that was the last time I saw him.”
 
 “Oh, I forgot to mention”
Wagner wrestled for the Air Force in Roman Greco and Free Style, winning both at 154 lbs.
“I wrestled on bases in Europe,” he shared. “I was going to go back to Denver, Colo. to wrestle in the 154-lb. class in the Air Force Academy, and I got sick so I couldn’t go. The guy who took my place ended up in third. I had accomplished what I had set out to do, so it didn’t bother me I couldn’t wrestle there.”
 
Coming Home
Wagner returned home, to Fort Atkinson, on Dec. 11, 1967.
“I was home for about two weeks and then moved to Cedar Rapids,” he said. “I needed to make money. I worked at Quaker Oats, running machinery.”
 
 Words of Wisdom
“I think everyone should serve,” said Wagner, and with a smile, the interview was done. 
Thank you for your service Calvin (Rick) Wagner.
 

Cresco Times

Phone: 563-547-3601
Fax: 563-547-4602

Address:
Cresco TPD
214 N. Elm Street
Cresco, IA 52136

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