Our Roots and Our Personal Connection to History
Like many, Fagens are connected to history on a personal level. From generation to generation the value of warbirds, hard work, and character have been passed down in the family.
Fagen Fighters is here today ultimately because of Ray Fagen. Although he did not know it at the time, Ray Fagen started something wonderfully contagious in his family by simply, yet profoundly, living a life of service, hard work, and flying. Ray was a small-town boy from Maynard, Minnesota. He grew up on a farm helping his dad, so he knew hard work and commitment. Ray was fascinated with aviation, and had taken a few flying lessons, but when called to serve his country, he put his pilot's license on hold. Ray served in the 4th infantry Division. He was on the first wave in the Invasion of Normandy at Utah Beach. From there, he fought through the Liberation of Paris into the Battle of The Bulge. Ray earned three bronze battle stars in recognition of his service.
Eventually, he arrived home to the love of his life, Edna, in Maynard, Minnesota. Still living a life of hard-work, character, and service. Ray established himself and began a new journey. He started hauling livestock for a living and continued to pursue his pilot's license, but this time with a different motive. Flying became an escape; a reality away from reality. He got his license on the GI Bill and soloed in a Stearman. After Ray got his license, he and Edna had two children, Ron and Sharon. Over his lifetime, Ray owned over fifty different airplanes and often flew them to his customers' homes for business and gave anyone he could a ride. Therefore, flying was only natural for Ron - so much that he illegally soloed at the age of thirteen. Like father, like son, when America needed more men to serve in Vietnam, Ron bravely answered the call. He left for service right after high school. Ron also served in the 4th Infantry Division. After almost a full year in Vietnam, Ron returned to find out that Ray sold his business, which led to Ron finding one of his greatest strengths- entrepreneurship.
Living a life of hard work, serving, and flying led Ron to have success in his construction business. But along the way, he met his best partner in life. In 1974, a girl named Diane Rienhardt from Carrol, IA visited a friend in Maynard (anyone who is familiar with Maynard, MN knows how rare it would be for someone to visit - look it up on the map - population of 335). Fortunately, Ron and Diane’s paths crossed, and they got married not long after. They began their life together and had two sons, Aaron and Evan. Somewhere in life’s adventures, Diane got her pilot’s license to share the love of aviation with her family even more. And again, Ron began passing down to his sons what he had learned from his father; hard work and flying. Many hours were spent at the Granite Falls airport as a family, and many of those hours consisted of grandpa Ray sharing stories and teaching his grandsons the importance of sacrifice, hard work, being kind, and the joy of flying. One of the stories Ray told his family was how they were all alive because of a P-38 Lightning:
The Germans were quickly closing in on them as they took cover in a fox hole when two P-38s came straphing in and wiped out all the Germans, saving their lives. Warbirds are fascinating by themselves, but when there is a personal tie behind one like the P-38, there becomes an even deeper meaning and appreciation.
Inspired by their father, mother, and grandfather, Aaron and Evan began flying. Aaron soloed on his sixteenth birthday, and Evan soloed just before his seventeenth birthday. Again, flying and the significance of warbirds would bond this family closer together and life’s greatest adventures continued.
Of course, a lot happens in the in-betweens. Ron and Diane’s business boomed, they purchased their first warbird- a P-51D mustang, Sweet Revenge, Grandpa’s character and stories kept trickling down to the next generation, and Grandma’s kindness and baking kept the family feeling full. Aaron and Evan both married and started families, and like their father and grandfather, they are passing down to their children the importance of hard work and flying. Like flying, warbirds became a “wonderful disease” (in the words of Ray Fagen). Throughout the years, there wasn’t an Oshkosh the family didn’t miss making a vacation of.
Fast forward to the present day and there is a wonderful museum that features beautiful and airworthy warbirds and functioning WWII ground equipment, a warbird restoration shop, and a successful business. The family is still held together by the things Ray shared with all of them: serving, hard work, and flying.
One of Ray’s famous quotes was
“no use doing things unless you do it right.”
Again, Ray maybe didn’t know the meaning this simple phrase would have on his family for years to come. Surely, failures and mistakes happened along the way, but doing things right is the reputation Fagens have come to have in construction, the warbird community, and in history preservation.
From generation to generation, the importance of sacrifice and the memory of the greatest generation has been passed down in the family tree, but their mission doesn’t stop there. Through the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum and Fagen Fighters Restoration, the family strives to connect the latest generation with the greatest generation and to serve and provide quality assistance to the warbird community through exceptional aircraft restorations and aircraft part distribution.
Next time you’re passing through southwest Minnesota, make sure to stop by the museum to see the aircraft and exhibits, and maybe even peak your head in the restoration shop to see the progress on the Helldiver! I often say that the museum is like a hidden gem; not many people know about it, but when they come, they leave in amazement. I leave in amazement every time and I work here! (:
