Former volunteer awarded the Gray Dragon
By Melanie Nelson, Public Affairs Officer
The Order of the Gray Dragon Award is an exclusive, rare honor presented to a Veteran with the earliest entry into the Navy Nuclear Weapons Program, often recognizing those who served under high-level secrecy agreements during classified missions.
Last week, Xavier Gagnon, age 93, received the Order of the Gray Dragon Award from the leadership of the Navy Nuclear Weapons Association in a ceremony attended by his family at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. The event took place just down the hall from where he has been recovering in the community living center for the past month.
Gagnon served in the Marines from 1953 until the day before Thanksgiving in 1956. Afterwards, he spent five years in the ready reserve and was called up once during the Cuban Missile Crisis. His occupational specialty remains something he rarely shares, even today. He will disclose, however, that he held a Q Clearance—one step above Top Secret—and primarily served in Nevada at the Lake Mead Naval Base, a Cold War-era facility established for the Defense Atomic Support Agency.
His interest in all things nuclear stretches back to his 13th birthday, July 16, 1945. This was also the date of the "Trinity" test, the world’s first detonation of an atomic device in the New Mexico desert.
Despite never attending high school and being entirely self-educated, Gagnon has developed an impressive depth of knowledge about nuclear warfare and the lasting effects of atomic bombs. Ten years ago, his passion for the subject led him to tour Fort Campbell, Kentucky’s Clarksville Base—one of the nation’s earliest and most important nuclear weapons storage facilities.
Even while his days at the VA are busy with therapy sessions, he continues to engage with nuclear issues by staying informed through the National Association of Atomic Veterans’ quarterly newsletter. He also is a daily newspaper reader, completing the Cryptoquip puzzle as often as he can.
Gagnon, who is reportedly the oldest living member of the Navy Nuclear Weapons Association, anticipates moving into assisted living soon.
Not that far in the rear-view mirror, Gagnon volunteered every Monday at the Minneapolis VA as an escort. Over 23 years he logged 3,670 hours, a service that abruptly ended due to the COVID pandemic.
This July 16, 2026, Gagnon will celebrate his 94th birthday. He takes special pride in sharing his birthday with National Atomic Veterans Day—a designation first proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. The coincidence is less a calendar quirk and more a meaningful connection to his fellow Atomic Veterans.