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Boyd "Buzz" Wagner was a fighter pilot in the US Army Air Corps who became the first American [[Flying ace|ace]] of [[World War II]].

Boyd "Buzz" Wagner was a fighter pilot in the US Army Air Corps who became the first American [[Flying ace|ace]] of [[World War II]].

Born on October 31 1916 in [[Pennsylvania]], Wagner studied aeronautical engineering for three years of the [[University of Pittsburgh]] before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1938.  He completed flight training in June, and in late 1940, was assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron, based in the [[Philippines]] and equipped with Curtis P-40 fighters.  Wagner was placed in command of the squadron.<ref>''Aces'', by William Yenne, Berkeley Books, 2000</ref>

Born on October 31 1916 in [[Pennsylvania]], Wagner studied aeronautical engineering for three years of the [[University of Pittsburgh]] before enlisting in the Army Air Corps in 1938.  He completed flight training in June, and in late 1940, was assigned to the 17th Pursuit Squadron, based in the [[Philippines]] and equipped with Curtis [[P-40 Warhawk|P-40 fighters]].  Wagner was placed in command of the squadron.<ref>''Aces'', by William Yenne, Berkeley Books, 2000</ref>

Due to its strategic location, the Philippine island group was an obvious target for Japanese expansion, and American pre-war strategists planned on this.  After the Japanese take-over of French Indochina and the subsequent U.S. embargo on oil shipments to [[Japan]], reinforcing the American position became even more important.  By the time war broke out, over 240 warplanes, including 35 [[Boeing B-17|B-17]] bombers and 107 P-40s, were based in the Philippines.  Most of them were at Clark air field and surrounding bases, on the northern island of Luzon.  Boyd’s squadron was at Ida, several miles west of Clark.

Due to its strategic location, the Philippine island group was an obvious target for Japanese expansion, and American pre-war strategists planned on this.  After the Japanese take-over of French Indochina and the subsequent U.S. embargo on oil shipments to [[Japan]], reinforcing the American position became even more important.  By the time war broke out, over 240 warplanes, including 35 [[Boeing B-17|B-17]] bombers and 107 P-40s, were based in the Philippines.  Most of them were at Clark air field and surrounding bases, on the northern island of Luzon.  Boyd’s squadron was at Ida, several miles west of Clark.