 |
Sunday, September 5, 2010 | Serving Del Rio and Val Verde County: Since 1929
|
|
|
Marketplace
Sections
AP News
Service Center
|
|
| |
|
Col. James F. Fagan
Col. James F. Fagan, 80, of Del Rio, passed away March 6, 2007. His final active duty military position was Deputy Commander for Logistics of the 47th pilot training wing at Laughlin AFB. Col. Fagan was born in Philadelphia, Pa. in 1926. He graduated from Northeast Catholic High School there in 1944. That same year he joined the Army Air Force as an Aviation Cadet; however, the war ended before he entered pilot training and he was discharged. He enrolled at St. Louis University where he participated in ROTC. In 1950 he completed his college requirements and was declared a Distinguished Military Graduate and was awarded a BS degree in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering and a regular commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. He attended flight schools at Connally AFB, Texas, and Williams AFB, Arizona and was awarded his pilot’s wings in 1952. Upon finishing gunnery training at Luke AFB, Ariz., he was assigned to the 46th Fighter Bomber Squadron at Kunsan, Korea where he flew 18 combat missions against varied ground targets including the infamous Sinangu bridge complex. In December 1952 he was reassigned to the 9th Fighter Bomber Squadron at Kamaki, Japan, where he participated in forming the first nuclear weapons-capable fighter squadron in the Far East. He served as a Flight Commander, Squadron Maintenance Officer and taught Special Weapons Tactics. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for developing equipment and procedures which reduced the time required to lead and checkout tactical nuclear weapons by 60%. In 1954 he was reassigned to the 508th Fighter Escort Wing at Turner AF B, Ga. He served as a Fighter Pilot and Flight Line Maintenance Officer with the 466th Fighter Escort Squadron and as Field Maintenance Aero Repair Officer with the 508th Field Maintenance Squadron. During his time he served on numerous Aircraft Accident Boards and identified an aircraft wiring design error which would keep the ejection seat in the aircraft from functioning and resulting the possible unnecessary death of the pilot in an accident. He wrote a Tech-Order Change to correct this error, which was adopted by the Air Force for all F84F’s in the inventory. In October 1956 the unit was redesignated to 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing and was re-equipped with the “big wing” Martin RB57D reconnaissance aircraft. This aircraft was involved in high altitude air sampling of atomic particles from Russian nuclear testing and from American testing in the Pacific. In March 1957 he was transferred with the wing to Laughlin AFB, in Del Rio, Texas. In June 1957 the wing was also equipped with the now famous U-2 aircraft. He served as the Wing Aircraft Records and Reports Officer, Aircraft Production Analysis Officer, Maintenance Control Officer, Flight Line Maintenance Officer and Maintenance Supervisor. He operated with the wing detachments at numerous locations throughout the world including the 1962 “Thirteen Days” of the Cuban Missile Crisis during which the Russian ballistic missile installations in Cuba were documented. In September 1963 he entered the Graduate School of Business of the University of Chicago. Was awarded a master’s degree in Business Administration in August 1964. In October 1964 was assigned to the Directorate of Maintenance Engineering, Headquarters Air Force at the Pentagon. He programmed and then supported Air Force-wide logistics requirements during review by the Air Staff, Secretary of the Air Force, Secretary of Defense and the Armed Services an Appropriations Committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate. In January 1968 he transferred to the 12th Air Commando Squadron, better known as the “Ranch Hands” at Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam and Laos. The Ranch Hands, whose motto was “Only We Can Prevent Forests,” has the distinction of being the most shot-at organization in Vietnam. Upon return to the United States in January 1969 he was assigned to the Aircraft Branch of the Aerospace Maintenance Division at the Pentagon and managed the C5A modification program during production line set-up and early production of the aircraft. He also managed modifications to the Special Air Mission aircraft including “Air Force One”. In January of 1970 he was designated Chief of the Maintenance Support Branch and was responsible for all Air Force Reciprocating and Jet Aircraft Engines, Powered Airspace Ground Support Equipment, Aircraft Weapons Release Systems and construction of facilities to support all Air Force Aircraft Maintenance, Supply and Transportation requirements. In June 1972 he was recognized for management of a $500 million program to modernize the facilities and equipment of the Air Logistics Command. In July 1972 he was reassigned to Laughlin AFB, in Del Rio, Texas as the Deputy Commander for Logistics for the 47th Pilot Training Wing. He assisted in upgrading the wing to “Outstanding” and it was considered the “Best in the Command.” It was the winner of the Air Training Command Daedalean award for maintenance and the runner-up in the Air Force wide competition. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with six Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Force and the Army Commendation Medals. He has flown 4,500 accident free pilot hours in 15 different Air Force aircraft. He retired from the Air Force in 1975 with the rank of colonel. After retiring from the Air Force he was hired by Val Verde County as the Executive Director of the CETA program for the nine-county Middle Rio Grande Development Areas. As such he was responsible for hiring and training individuals with limited skills so they could be competitive in the labor market. He continued until the county’s contract with the Middle Rio Grande Development Council expired in October 1978. In December 1979 he was hired by Del Rio National Bank as Vice President of Operations. In this position was responsible for all operations of the bank except loans. In 1984 he was assigned the additional responsibility of Trust Officer and was promoted to senior vice president. In 1987 he was appointed an Advisory Director of the bank. He continued in this capacity until his retirement in December 1989. Col. Fagan held a Commercial Pilot’s License with Single and Multi-engine Land and Instrument ratings and an FAA Airframe and Engine Mechanics License. He was a member and past president of the Del Rio chapter of the Air Force Association; member and past president of the Del Rio Rotary Club, a charter member and past Flight Captain of the Del Rio chapter of the Order of the Daedaleans. After retirement he enjoyed traveling with his wife of 56 years and with his many friends.
He is survived by his wife Jean Fagan; and his daughter Terry Fernandez and husband Mario Fernandez; grandson Alexander Fernandez and wife Pat; granddaughter Christina Bushong and husband Benge and great-grandsons Bridger Bushong and Carson Bushong.
Family will be receiving friends and family on, Sunday, March 11, 2007 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, Chapel of Remembrance. Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be at 7 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, March 12, 2007 at 10 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 510 Wernett, Del Rio, Texas. Fr. Roberto Peña, O.M.I., and Fr. David Guadalupe de la Trinidad, mcs
Interment will be on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 11:15 a.m. at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, in San Antonio, Texas with full military honors.
In lieu of flowers family request that memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1285, Del Rio, Texas 7840 and Val Verde Hospice, P.O. Box 2301, Del Rio, Texas, 78840.
Published March 11, 2007
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|