thedrifter
12-05-08, 07:54 AM
December 5, 2008
Military history guides athlete's call to duty
Desert Chapel senior follows in family's naval footsteps
Drew Schmenner
The Desert Sun
Four generations have guided Steven Wagner.
From Cuba to Hawaii to Japan, they have made him proud.
Soon he will follow his ancestors, but his senior year and one final football game remain.
Before heading east to the U.S. Naval Academy, the Desert Chapel High School senior fullback is competing tonight in the CIF-SS Division II final.
A sense of duty has been passed down on the paternal side of Wagner's family.
“I respect the freedoms that we have here very much, and I think I should do something to pay back every man and woman who has fought for us in the past,” Wagner said.
Wagner's family has been in the military for more than a century. His great-great-grandfather, John Wagner, was wounded twice during the Spanish-American War while serving in the Army from 1896 to 1899.
Both of his great-grandfathers on his father's side served, including William Wagner, who escaped one of the most horrific moments in American history.
As a member of the Navy, William Wagner served aboard the USS Arizona from 1922 to 1934 and re-enlisted on the ship in 1940. He was flying to Guam when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and sunk the Arizona. Many of his friends died.
His son, Richard Wagner, recalled a moment from a reunion of survivors he attended with his parents. The Navy chaplain died in the attack, so his widow gave the opening prayer.
“I can tell you there was not a dry eye in the crowd,” Richard Wagner said. “And they were all grown men.”
His father didn't talk about one of the darkest moments of his life, but Richard Wagner, who lives in Northern California, has many souvenirs from that period, including his father's pictures aboard the ship and copies of the vessel's newspaper.
Steven Wagner soaked in all of this history, but he didn't seriously consider his future until he went on a trip with his grandfather during the summer of 2007.
“From Nebraska, we fished our way back to California,” Richard Wagner said.
His grandfather brought up the Naval Academy, and with competitive credentials, Steven Wagner decided to apply.
The process was lengthy, but Wagner learned in November he was accepted into the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, R.I. After finishing 10 months of classes, he will move on to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., where he wants to study either civil or mechanical engineering.
Wagner will be the first in his family to attend the academy.
“I think it will be a real honor for my family to keep their name great in the military,” Wagner said.
He plans to play football and wrestle, since participating in athletics is one of the academy's rigorous requirements.
The Desert Chapel senior will play in his final high school football game tonight. The undefeated Eagles are taking on Joshua Springs in the CIF-SS Division II eight-man championship.
“We didn't come all this way to be 11-1,” Wagner said. “We're going to go 12-0, hopefully.”
A major decision awaits Wagner once he graduates from the academy. He will become an officer in either the Navy or Marines.
Allegiance is divided in his family. His father, Wayne, served in the Marines, while his uncle, David, was a Navy helicopter pilot.
“It's like this. I try to be friendly about it, but they all know,” Wayne Wagner joked.
Regardless of which branch Steven Wagner enters, carrying on his family's devotion to service is all that matters to him.
“You can't know how proud I am of him,” Richard Wagner said.
Additional Facts
Family military history
John Wagner (great-great-grandfather): Served in the Army from 1896 to 1899. Fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Wounded twice.
William Ford (great-grandfather): Served in the Marine Corps from 1936 to 1940. Reached rank of private first class. Served in Coast Guard from 1943 to 1945. Reached rank of seaman first class.
William Wagner (great-grandfather): Served in Navy from 1922 to 1934 aboard USS Arizona. Re-enlisted in 1940. Reached rank of carpenter's mate first class after war.
Richard Wagner (grandfather): Served in Navy from 1956 to 1959. Reached rank of engineman second class.
David Wagner (uncle): Served in Navy from 1980 to 2000. Reached rank of petty officer first class.
Wayne Wagner (father): Served in Marine Corps from 1980 to 1984. Served as infantryman. Reached rank of lance corporal.
Mother's side
Salvador Macavinta (grandfather): Served in Navy from 1942 to 1945 as cook first class.
Ellie
Military history guides athlete's call to duty
Desert Chapel senior follows in family's naval footsteps
Drew Schmenner
The Desert Sun
Four generations have guided Steven Wagner.
From Cuba to Hawaii to Japan, they have made him proud.
Soon he will follow his ancestors, but his senior year and one final football game remain.
Before heading east to the U.S. Naval Academy, the Desert Chapel High School senior fullback is competing tonight in the CIF-SS Division II final.
A sense of duty has been passed down on the paternal side of Wagner's family.
“I respect the freedoms that we have here very much, and I think I should do something to pay back every man and woman who has fought for us in the past,” Wagner said.
Wagner's family has been in the military for more than a century. His great-great-grandfather, John Wagner, was wounded twice during the Spanish-American War while serving in the Army from 1896 to 1899.
Both of his great-grandfathers on his father's side served, including William Wagner, who escaped one of the most horrific moments in American history.
As a member of the Navy, William Wagner served aboard the USS Arizona from 1922 to 1934 and re-enlisted on the ship in 1940. He was flying to Guam when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and sunk the Arizona. Many of his friends died.
His son, Richard Wagner, recalled a moment from a reunion of survivors he attended with his parents. The Navy chaplain died in the attack, so his widow gave the opening prayer.
“I can tell you there was not a dry eye in the crowd,” Richard Wagner said. “And they were all grown men.”
His father didn't talk about one of the darkest moments of his life, but Richard Wagner, who lives in Northern California, has many souvenirs from that period, including his father's pictures aboard the ship and copies of the vessel's newspaper.
Steven Wagner soaked in all of this history, but he didn't seriously consider his future until he went on a trip with his grandfather during the summer of 2007.
“From Nebraska, we fished our way back to California,” Richard Wagner said.
His grandfather brought up the Naval Academy, and with competitive credentials, Steven Wagner decided to apply.
The process was lengthy, but Wagner learned in November he was accepted into the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, R.I. After finishing 10 months of classes, he will move on to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., where he wants to study either civil or mechanical engineering.
Wagner will be the first in his family to attend the academy.
“I think it will be a real honor for my family to keep their name great in the military,” Wagner said.
He plans to play football and wrestle, since participating in athletics is one of the academy's rigorous requirements.
The Desert Chapel senior will play in his final high school football game tonight. The undefeated Eagles are taking on Joshua Springs in the CIF-SS Division II eight-man championship.
“We didn't come all this way to be 11-1,” Wagner said. “We're going to go 12-0, hopefully.”
A major decision awaits Wagner once he graduates from the academy. He will become an officer in either the Navy or Marines.
Allegiance is divided in his family. His father, Wayne, served in the Marines, while his uncle, David, was a Navy helicopter pilot.
“It's like this. I try to be friendly about it, but they all know,” Wayne Wagner joked.
Regardless of which branch Steven Wagner enters, carrying on his family's devotion to service is all that matters to him.
“You can't know how proud I am of him,” Richard Wagner said.
Additional Facts
Family military history
John Wagner (great-great-grandfather): Served in the Army from 1896 to 1899. Fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Wounded twice.
William Ford (great-grandfather): Served in the Marine Corps from 1936 to 1940. Reached rank of private first class. Served in Coast Guard from 1943 to 1945. Reached rank of seaman first class.
William Wagner (great-grandfather): Served in Navy from 1922 to 1934 aboard USS Arizona. Re-enlisted in 1940. Reached rank of carpenter's mate first class after war.
Richard Wagner (grandfather): Served in Navy from 1956 to 1959. Reached rank of engineman second class.
David Wagner (uncle): Served in Navy from 1980 to 2000. Reached rank of petty officer first class.
Wayne Wagner (father): Served in Marine Corps from 1980 to 1984. Served as infantryman. Reached rank of lance corporal.
Mother's side
Salvador Macavinta (grandfather): Served in Navy from 1942 to 1945 as cook first class.
Ellie