Private First Class Wagner was a member of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 2 September 1950 and returned to duty on 21 September 1950. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 25 November 1950 and died while a prisoner on 30 April 1951.

Wagner was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.