Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Hagen, Pekol
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 1/01/2020
Hagen to be Recognized by American Legion (2020)
The Neillsville American Legion will recognize Richard A. “Buck” Hagen for his military serviced the first Monday in January. Submitted Photo
Richard A. “Buck” Hagen will be an honored guest at a reception and potluck to thank veterans for their service.
The Neillsville American Legion, 6 Boon Boulevard, will recognize Hagen and two other veterans on Monday, Jan. 6. The social hour will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the meal at 5:30 p.m.
Hagen was born at home in the Town of Eaton, which is in rural Greenwood. He attended Eaton Center Grade School and graduated from Greenwood High School in 1960.
Hagen worked on the farm through high school. In 1961, he joined the Wisconsin National Guard. Two months after joining, Hagen’s unit was called up because of the Berlin Crisis. The company went to Fort Lewis, WA, to train.
At Fort Lewis, there were enough recruits with no basic training to make a company. That company was sent to Fort Ord, CA, for basic training. After the training, the company went back to Fort Lewis to train to go to Berlin, Germany. The crisis ended and they were sent home. Hagen went back to the National Guard and was discharged in 1967.
Hagen lived in Neillsville and worked road construction a few years and then drove truck. He retired in 2013.
Hagen married Marie Pekol in 1969. They have three children: Peggy, Connie and Kevin and 11 grandchildren.
Hagen enjoys fishing, hunting, watching his grandchildren in school activities and watching baseball and football on TV.
