Wager family memories shared for Father's Day 2013

The Robert Wager Family

(L-R) Robert Wager Jr., Robert Wager (dad) holding Donna Wager,

 Dorothy Kuchenmeister, Linda Neu, Jacqueline Whalen  and Kevin Wager looking

 at his dad while wearing those snazzy cowboy boots at home in Hyde Park NY.

A Wager family memory as told by Kevin Wager:

The Summer of 1967, my dad, Roger Wager, had been out tending to other's gardens with his tractor cutting tall grass. He came home and told my mom he wasn't feeling well. She asked him to go sit in his favorite chaise lounge out in the yard and she handed him a cold beer. Shortly after, mom called the ambulance and our neighbor Maggie Leroy brought all of us younger children to her house. We were there several hours playing in the pool and later Mrs. Leroy said to us children, your mom needs you at home. While walking home, a kid that lived in the neighborhood stopped me and my two sisters and told us that our father had died. We ran all the way home in disbelief only to find that it was true. I was all of 10 years old, that hot humid day in June when I lost my dad. We buried him on Flag Day, June 14, 1967. Every Flag Day since, I think of that day we all lost our dad. In memory of dad, my sister, Dorothy, makes sure the American flag is flying at dad's headstone for every Flag Day.

I knew my dad loved his family and had many friends that also loved him.  He had a very strong work ethic. He worked several jobs and always stayed busy with his tractor. My mother kept his memory alive for us. I can hear her voice now, appealing to my conscience, reminding me and all of my siblings to "Never disgrace your father's good name."

I learned many other things about my dad on my own. I knew he was a Veteran that served in the 90th infantry and had a rank of PFC (pushing for civilian).  He was wounded twice during WWII, once, in the winter of 1944 in Bastogne. They patched him up and sent him back to the front during the battle of the Bulge. My dad's unit was sent up to the front that winter to give Patton's Army a much needed rest. All the experts insisted that the German army could not put up another offensive. The experts were wrong.  It is significant to me, that history has recorded that a group of American soldiers were surrounded with little or no ammunition, medical supplies or fuel and they never even considered surrender. General Anthony Mcauliffe when given the surrender ultimatum by the ranking German command, answered simply with one word "NUTS!".

The lesson I learned from this?
You never know what you're made of until your back is against the wall with very few options.

Kevin Wager - Dillon, SC

Thank you to Kevin Wager of Dillon, SC for submitting this about his dad. Read on below for more on General Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe.

General Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe
(July 2, 1898 – August 11, 1975)

General Anthony Clement "Nuts" McAuliffe was the US Army general who was the acting division commander of the 101st Airborne Division troops defending Bastogne, Belgium, during World War II's Battle of the Bulge. He is famous for his single-word reply of "Nuts!" in response to a German surrender ultimatum.

Hope all the Dads  will enjoy Father's Day!