George Van Hagen: An American Hero
On August 10 2008, longtime Barrington resident and World War II veteran George Van Hagen III will celebrate his 63rd anniversary. It was on this day in 1945 that Van Hagen, a U.S. Navy pilot, was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft fire while flying a mission to strike targets off the coast of mainland Japan. There was heavy fog the day that George was flying his Grumman Hellcat fighter, and the plane was hit. He had no choice but to crash into the ocean. His navy training kicked in, and George knew he had only 60 seconds to engage his life raft and grab flares before the plane would sink.
His head was wounded from the impact of hitting the ocean. George knew that his airborne comrades from the aircraft carrier Independence saw him going down. It helped that he had radioed them right before impact. The same fog that caused a challenge in the air provided a safety shield on top of the water; George could hear Japanese fishing boats hunting him down, but none located him, thanks to the thick fog. There were hope, constant prayers, and 10 hours of waiting in the dark, adrift alone in a rubber raft in the Pacific Ocean. With a set of flares from his lost plane, George made contact with an American rescue flyer. Finally, up from under the sea emerged an American submarine seeking him out. His life was saved. George would learn that he had landed in a Japanese minefield dense with mines for miles off the beach. The rescue sub had to maneuver in on a straight line and follow that same exact line going backwards to safely get back out to sea. After his rescue, George was returned to his ship.
Less than a month later, on September 2, 1945, President Truman announced that the Japanese had accepted terms of surrender. The official signing occurred on the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, bringing World War II to an end.
George Van Hagen is one of the many people in Barrington who has risked his life and served our country in times of war. He is an active member in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 7706 in Barrington. Knowing that George is an American hero offered me great anticipation as I drove to meet him for the first time. As I slowly rolled down one of Barrington’s village streets, I spotted his house without even checking the street number. It was the only home with the American flag displayed that day.
George grew up on a farm in the rolling hills of the Barrington countryside. His first interest in flight as a boy, he recalls, was watching birds circle overhead while lying on the grass and facing the sky. Today, George educates Barrington schoolchildren about the importance of the armed services, the value of patriotism, and the history of World War II. He finds that the students are very interested in American history. One of the questions he’s often asked is whether he and his buddies were afraid during war and combat. George is quick to affirm to the children that yes, they were scared, but that they still had their job to do. George loves young people and continues his patriotic service to them. At home, it’s spending time with his grandchildren that George adores. They wrap his walking cane with blue, yellow, red, and green colored tape to make him a “candy cane.”
In 1988, the Barrington Area Development Council (BADC) presented George with its community service award to honor several of his noted accomplishments. Part of this award acknowledged George’s role in founding Barrington Youth Services (BYS). He had felt the same concerns that many people did with the onset of drug use by youngsters in the community following the 1960s. He turned his concern into action and helped to found BYS, a social services agency, which has grown and continues to serve those in need today. George served as BYS’s president from 1972 to 1980, and he continued as a board member for many years. The BADC community service award also recognized George’s founding of the Barrington Community Band. During the Fourth of July parade each year, you can’t miss this patriotic band as it rolls musically along on a large flatbed truck.
It is humbling to meet someone who risked his life for the future of his country and his fellow citizens. Nearly every time I posed questions to George about his service to country and all that went with it, he quickly asked me to instead honor all the men and women who have served, or given their lives, for our country, particularly his many friends and fellow soldiers at the VFW Post 7706. George feels a deep sense of duty from his days as a soldier, but also from having his life saved by the U.S. Navy team that pulled him out of the water.
We honor George as a great family man, a man who serves his community, and as a true American war hero. With his “million-dollar smile” and tall, handsome good looks, George could easily have been a leading man in cinema’s Golden Age. Rather, George led himself and others on a lifelong mission of service to others. We know, George, that you are far from finished. Yet, when it comes to all the many missions of your life, we salute you as truly accomplished.
Here are some words that others shared about George Van Hagen.
Kathleen Amatangelo
I met George about 20 years ago when we were restoring Wakefield Farm, the former home of George’s grandparents, which was built in 1903. He was so helpful and generous to us as we navigated a complicated restoration process that enabled us to return Wakefield Farm to its original splendor. He shared drawings, plans, and pictures that were invaluable to us and the talented craftsmen who worked with us. He had answers before we even knew what questions to ask. He is a true gentleman and a joy to all who have the privilege to know him!
Corliss Anderson Jr.
It seems like I’ve known George forever, over 50 years now. We are both native “Barringtonians” and lived two blocks apart from each other. I met George through various activities. We both served on the Barrington Youth Services board and the VFW Barrington Post 7706. We also served as election judges for the Barrington Precinct 6 for over 15 years. We had some good times and had some funny things happen. Over the years, George and I exchanged war books; I was stationed with the U.S. Army in France and Germany during the Korean War in 1953–54. Also, we share an interest in Chicago sports, both football and baseball. George has a strong religious faith and adores his seven grandchildren. He is a man of quality; a man of integrity and goodwill.
Thomas Balsamo
I first met George in the late 1970s when he was a customer of the Barrington Camera store where I worked. George defines the term “true patriot.” He is a sincere, passionate individual; he’s always smiling. During this photo shoot for Quintessential Barrington, I was inspired and privileged to hear many of his colorful stories.
Barbara L. Benson
George is a friend of about 25 years, and the unique aspect of our friendship is that it is rooted in our mutual love of history and historical research, especially that related to the Barrington area. By now, five generations of the Van Hagen family, including George’s grandchildren, have called Barrington home for over 100 years, and his memory encompasses over three-quarters of that time. And what a wonderful memory it is, flawless in recalling family and community life, and the changes he has experienced in village and countryside alike. Some stories, in their retelling, bring forth a chuckle and twinkle in his eye. Any conversation that we have will inevitably stretch out along the roads of history. George has researched and written much about the Barrington area, including a history of the Village Hall and of the earlier schoolhouses. His love of country is manifested in his work with the VFW and their Voice of Democracy program, and in his unfailing presence at the commemorative events that salute America’s armed forces, in which he served with great distinction. I am honored to call him “friend.” He is a quintessential grand gentleman, in its true meaning, and a Barrington treasure for all seasons and ages.
Anna Markley Bush
I first met George as a neighbor about 30 years ago when he and his wife were outside walking the dog. Twenty-five years ago, I saw a flyer for a community band. George organized the Barrington Community Band, which performs every Fourth of July and is composed of all levels of experience. I am one of two piccolo players in the band. I think George is quintessential America. He believes in the virtues of being an American and our small town. It’s about small-town character – George is that. He’s the face of older Barrington residents. George is everybody’s grandpa. George is a character, just a really interesting guy. I remember George asking me in December, “Are you going to play piccolo this summer?” George remembers us all. You just want to give him a hug.
Tim Dunn
I have fond memories of George as a VFW spokesperson and organizer of the Barrington Community Band. I first met George 15 years ago around town. Through the Voice of Democracy program, I got to know George better. I know him as a real good man. He has spoken to my classes at Barrington High School about World War II. George is instrumental to our town. Some mornings, I would have coffee with George at Clarke’s Bakery & Deli on Route 14. He is encouraging, friendly, and always has a smile on his face. When I think of George, I think of stability. Like me, George has lived in Barrington all his life. He’s a historian. I’m glad to have a friend like him.
James Mulvhill
George has been a big brother to me ever since I met him in 2001. We met through VFW when we worked on the Voice of Democracy program. George is a very good writer, a World War II veteran, and a fighter pilot in the Pacific. George is a great American; he has served this country. He is the kind of person everybody likes to know. George is always very positive about things and a great leader.
Libby Rieke
The mere mention of George Van Hagen conjures up a multitude of images, the predominant one being kindness. One needs only to look into his eyes to find the ever-faithful spirit dancing inside of them. I’ve known George since living on Coolidge Avenue when I was a little girl. I grew up referring to him as “the gentle giant.” He is a war hero, but equally important, he is a community hero. Among many other things, he has given this community two distinct gifts that have benefited hundreds of thousands of Barringtonians over the years: Barrington Youth Services and the Barrington hometown band that plays every Fourth of July at the “brat tent.” After sharing breakfast with George a few days ago, he left me with a quote that sums up how George has lived his life: “The Lord gave us two ends to use, one to think with and one to sit with. It depends on which you choose. Heads you win, tails you lose!”
Father Al Johnson
I’ve known George for over 18 years. I met him for the first time through the Barrington Community Band at the “brat tent.” I have fond memories of George sharing his story of being shot down on his first flight in the Pacific during World War II. To be together with him and part of the Memorial Day service is just thrilling. George is a kind, faithful, dedicated, patriotic, and loving individual. I really love this man. He’s just a great guy.
Patty Dowd Schmitz
I met George Van Hagen when I was in the process of doing research for the book I wrote on the history of the Barrington Hills Country Club. George, as the grandson of one of the club’s founders, was widely known to be one of Barrington’s “elders.” It was not a reference to his age so much as a nod to his knowledge of local lore and history. Little did I know that when I met George, I would be in for the treat of my life. He is a gifted storyteller and has what I call the passion of “preservation” – he sees the enormous value in preserving our community culture and history through both narrative and photograph. Numerous times over the course of two years, George and I sat together while he showed me his meticulously preserved scrapbooks, poems, and stories, dating all the way back to his family’s early Barrington days in the first part of the 20th century. From these meetings spawned a wealth of documents and photographs that were preserved in the country club book, as well as several story ideas for Quintessential Barrington magazine. George is a kind, thoughtful, and humble man who has inspiring words to say and meaningful stories to tell. He is cheerful and upbeat, and a top priority for him is to make sure that the history of our area and of his family is preserved for future generations. George is the type of community “elder” that all towns would hope to have. He is the quintessential Barrington treasure.
Don Thompson
I have known George for most of my adult life. We became friends in the veterans group in Barrington. He is a very kind, civic-minded person. George paid attention to the community as a volunteer, got involved in his church, and supported the school system. He has also participated in the town band since the Bicentennial in 1976. I remember George visiting eighth-grade students and asking, “What is a veteran? Is it an old man with gray hair and a pot belly, or no hair at all?” Then, George would remove his cap to reveal his balding head. George was humorous with the students and reminded them that being a veteran was about the sacrifices of older men.