Early Life
Gagnon was born March 7, 1925 in Manchester, New Hampshire, the only child of French Canadian immigrants from Disraeli, Quebec, Henri Gagnon and Irène Marcotte. René grew up without a father. His parents separated when he was an infant, though they never divorced. When he was old enough, René worked alongside his mother at a local shoe factory. He also worked as a bicycle messenger boy for the local Western Union. René was drafted in 1943 and elected to join the Marine Corps.
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