Ernest William Wagoner was born on April 6, 1923, in Allen Township, Miami County, Indiana. He was the son of John William Wagoner and Pearl May Coffing Wagoner. He served in the 20th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Staff Sergeant and Ball Turret Gunner in a B-17 #42-32048, nicknamed "Queen," during World War II.

On August 29, 1944, the B-17G “Queen” (42-32048) was shot down near Krhov, close to Bojkovice, during the Air Battle over the White Carpathians. Flying in the Dog 4 position on Mission 263, the bomber was struck by German fighters, caught fire, and exploded. Several crewmen tried to escape, but most were killed when their parachutes failed or ignited; only the co-pilot, Irving Thompson, survived and was captured, later held at Stalag Luft I. All aircraft of the 20th Bomber Squadron were lost, resulting in 41 airmen killed, 28 of whom were buried in a mass grave, while 4 managed to evade capture, and 55 were taken as prisoners of war.

SSgt Wagoner was one of the 28 U.S. airmen laid to rest in a mass grave at Slavicin, Czechoslovakia, before being exhumed and reinterred at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial, Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France. He also has a cenotaph in the Mt. Zion Cemetery, Fulton County, Indiana, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, weremember.abmc.gov