Veteran serves 25 years in three wars Published Jan. 20, 2012 By Stephen Delgado 56th Force Support Squadron LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- From 1943 to 1968 three wars were fought, but very few veterans have the distinction of participating in all three -- World War ll, and the Korean and Vietnam wars. Lee Yagel was born in Webb City, Mo., on a Halloween evening in 1924. He is currently the western director of the All 3 Wars Veterans Association. His journey in the military began in 1943 as a buck private at Godman Field at Fort Knox, Ky., training to become a gunner on a B-25. As his training came to a close, Yagel was struck with appendicitis. He was assigned to base operations while he recovered. It was on to Harmon Field, Guam, in 1945 flying in C-46 troop carriers. "We flew from Harmon Field in C-46s and our mission was to fly troops and supplies to the Philippines," he said. "Our aircraft landed at Robinson Field. There was a lot of fighting at the time and our aircraft took some hits, but fortunately no one was injured." Yagel returned to the United States in February 1946, but it was not long before he re-enlisted. "I was part of the 52-20 club, which meant I received $20 for 52 weeks, but I only collected for four months because I re-enlisted and was assigned to Japan for a year as part of the occupation force," he said. Yagel transitioned into the Air Force when it became a separate branch of the military in 1947. He went back to Guam for two years and then it was on to Selfridge Air Force Base, Mich., where he was assigned to the 10th Air Force as part of the inspector general's flying safety division, whose chief responsibility was investigating air crashes. However, the Korean war was raging half a world away, and Yagel became joined in his second war in January 1953 as a cargo master flying supplies throughout Korea. "The Air Force was short of cargo masters, so it was a good opportunity for me," he said. "We had transitioned from C-46s to C-54s." When the war ended in late July 1953, Yagel came back to the United States for a brief assignment before being assigned to Clark Air Base, Philippines, where he served until 1955. His career was one of some great achievements. "I was promoted to master sergeant in 1954, which at that time was the highest enlisted rank in the Air Force," he said. "I was selected to attend the Senior NCO Academy in 1957 and graduated fourth in a class of 200. These events were special and proud moments in my career." From 1957 to 1963, Yagel's assignments were a sort of world tour. He took another assignment to Japan, a special assignment to various countries in South America working with the Organization of American States. He ended up at Andrews AFB, Md. He left the Air Force in 1963 and returned to Japan as a civilian where he started an import and export business. Despite leaving the Air Force, Yagel wasn't done with military service. He left Japan in March 1966 and traveled to Vietnam working for the government as a civilian until November 1967. "I was working in a civilian capacity assigned to a special intelligence group," he said. "I had the opportunity to visit every base in the country and was wounded in late 1967. It was really dangerous the night I was wounded. My service in Vietnam ended. I was air evacuated to the Andrews AFB hospital and then I retired." It took from 1968 to 1985 for Yagel to be awarded his years in Vietnam as military service. "In 1985, I was finally awarded the extra years on my service record," he said. "My retirement year was moved from 1963 to 1968 giving me 25 years of service." This action gave Yagel military service in a third war. He has been busy with numerous activities since leaving the military, which include having two real estate offices in Missouri, managing a large motel in California, living in Las Vegas, Nev., for six years and writing two books. He made his way to Arizona in 2005. "My book, The Foreign Pawn, about the Cold War was published, and I just completed my second book, The Tainted Chrysanthemum. It is awaiting publication. Yagel has been married to Beverly for 30 years and has two stepchildren. For more information about the All 3 Wars Veterans Association, call Yagel at (623) 399-9355 or e-mail Secretary@all3wars.org.