It was like Publisher’s Clearinghouse when Rep. Josh Gottheimer walked up to 91-year-old Calvin Wagner’s home in West Milford on Thursday morning.
He was there unannounced.
“To thank you for your service to our country, but to present to you the medals you should have received nearly 72 years ago for your service in the Navy,” Gottheimer said to Wagner. “It is an honor to thank you for your service, thank you for what you’ve done for our country and to present you with these medals. It’s about time.”
Wagner was 18 when he joined the U.S. Navy in 1944. He was a supply officer on Navy ships during World War II in Europe and the Pacific.
“I put a ship in commission, I’m a plank owner, which I’m really proud of,” said Wagner. “I crossed the equator, which I’m very proud of. We had Marines on board. I went up and down and then to the landing craft that went in. But then Harry dropped the bomb, the big one, and it brought it to an end.”
You can’t enter the home of a man who served when America was fighting the Nazis without making the connection to the current controversy over neo-Nazis and President Trump’s various statements.
“There’s no room in this country for white supremacy, no room for the language that was used, the bigotry, the anti-Semitism,” said Gottheimer. “And I know I stand with anyone I’ve talked to, any of the people I represent and their opinion is my opinion, which is we have to stand against this hatred, against this kind of language, and this is not what made our country great, it’s not what makes us great. These are American values. And we need to get back together in this country and move forward.”
When asked whether the president’s various responses to the events in Charlottesville, Gottheimer responded, “President Trump, as you probably know, has said different things on different days. When he stood up and said there is no place in this country for neo-Nazis and white supremacy, that’s when he was right.”
Wagner did not have much to say about the current controversy. He and his wife of seventy years just seemed content.
“It’s something I never thought I’d see, that’s for sure. But I’m very happy. Means a lot to me and my wife,” said Wagner.
“I think it’s the nicest thing that could have happened to him really. He deserved it,” said Wagner’s wife, Anna.
A lot of family gathered for the occasion. There was memorabilia about, including old telegrams.
“‘Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Will write soon. Love Cal,’” read Gottheimer from one telegram. Another read, “‘All is well and safe. Please don’t worry. Love, Calvin.’”
Their daughter Gloria contacted the congressman for help on getting her father what he was entitled to.
“When he was showing me all of his discharge papers, I noticed there were medals. I said, ‘Dad where are your medals?’ He said I never I got them,” she explained. “I thought, wouldn’t it be nice if we could get them? He’s still living. He’s still around.”
Better late than never.
