Lem Waggoner

Gunners Mate First Class Lem Waggoner proudly served America as an Anti-Aircraft gunner with the U.S. Fleet throughout the Pacific Campaign, including the liberation of the Phillippines.  Lem's family has a legacy of wartime service: Billy D. Waggoner (Navy WWII), Lem D. Sr (Army WWI), and Lem Waggoner Jr. (NavyWWII).

Lem enlisted as soon as he learned Japan attacked the United States. He went on to Amarillo Tx to enlist with his friends in the Navy.

He then was sent to Fort Worth Tx to fill out paperwork. One of the questions that was asked was what goal do you have for the Navy? He replied to help improve the Navy. He then was sent to San Diego for boot camp at the Point Loma Navy base. Once boot camp was completed, he waited for his orders.

He and another man were called to stand to the side while the other men were told of their orders and were sent away in a ship. Lem and the other man were sent to the Great Lakes of Illinois to go to Gunnery School where they would learn how the guns operated and to take apart and put back together and do repairs. He graduated and was sent back to San Diego for advanced Anti-craft gunnery school to learn shooting skills on the firing range. One day while in class he was drawing when an officer walked in and spoke to the instructor and asked to talk to one of the students. The officer talked to Lem about his drawing skills. He admired his skills and work ethic. He gave Lem two choice options, and they were to work at the Navy School at night or go to sea. He chose the Navy school at night. The officer said, “Okay, meet me here tomorrow morning”. The next day they went downtown to Frazee paint store and bought brushes and colors of paint. They returned to the classroom at the base. Knowing Lem’s skills in drawing, the officer told him that he would have him draw hydraulic gunner units on the wall, showing the recruits how to repair the gunnery.

 During this time in San Diego, he then met his future wife, Marian Bell, through her brother Andrew Bell. Her brother asked Lem if he would do a favor and go to his parent’s home and pick up clean clothes for him. Lem met his sister Marian and dated and fell in love.  They were married in 1944. Lem then received his orders to go to the Philippines to set up a gunnery school for the next 7 months. There after knowing that Lem had completed his duration, he was asked by an officer if he would like to go to Japan for four years to set up a gunnery school and be promoted to chief or he could go home to his wife and new baby girl. 

He chose to go home to his family!

Once he settled back home, he began searching for work. He returned to the paint store where the officer once took him. The same man was still working and recognized him and said: “I’ve got a job for you”!!  He introduced him to this gentleman who once worked in Hollywood as a stage designer. He now works for a company as their foreman. He met Lem and hired him and taught him all you could know about painting. The gentleman then said he had someone he should meet. He introduced him to a gentleman at the Unified School District in the maintenance paint department. He had an interview and was hired and began work the next Monday. He painted for the city schools and became a crew supervisor.  He retired 37 years later. 

 During his retirement, he spent it traveling with his wife and enjoying time with family and kept busy with projects like painting, and raising a garden and he recently built a picket fence.  Lem is still going strong at “101” years young!