Gary D. Nagel‚ 62‚ a contract pilot with the California Department of Forestry‚ died in an air tanker crash while fighting the Mount Edna wildfire on October 5‚ 1998. An aerial firefighter for more than 35 years‚ Nagel served as a pilot in Vietnam.
Gary D. Nagel‚ 62‚ a contract pilot with the California Department of Forestry‚ died in an air tanker crash while fighting the Mount Edna wildfire on October 5‚ 1998. An aerial firefighter for more than 35 years‚ Nagel served as a pilot in Vietnam.
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Gary was my older (13 years) brother and hero. He left our home at age 15 enlisting in the USAF. He served in KOREA and was honorably discharged from the service as a Master Sargent. He learned to fly (privately) while in the service and had a long, distinguished, and well known flying career among his peers thereafter until his death doing what he loved most in life.
I can’t explain why it has taken me almost 21 years to look for him on line, but I guess better late than never. I remember riding on the back of his Harley one time at a very young age. I suspect it was when he returned home for our sisters funeral three years after enlisting when she passed at age 16 from Bulbar Polio. I can still feel my arms around him on the back of the bike. I can still see his blonde hair blowing in the wind, actors good looks with dark sunglasses, athletic ability – we both loved to ski. I miss you brother.
Burny
– Ed NagelDid Gary work as a flight instructor at Riverside airport, California around 1965? If he did, he soloed me in a Cessna 150. I am now a retired Gulfsstream corporate pilot and 81 years old.
– Ken Hopke