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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Assembly Sep '91
Paul Miller Ellman, Jr. No. 16063 Class Of
1946 Died 28 August 1952 In Everett, Washington, aged
27 years. Interment: West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York
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Paul Ellman was born into the Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas
on 22 June 1925. His father was a Regular Army officer, not an
Academy graduate, who always wanted his sons to follow his footsteps
into the Army, but with the advantage of a West Point background.
So, Paul was encouraged throughout his childhood to prepare himself
for West Point. His first obstacle was a physical one, as he
was born with club feet. After surgical correction, his feet
were normal but his lower legs were weak and to overcome this,
he did a great deal of running during his high school years to
be sure of passing the West Point physical. Paul was active in
Boy Scouts and is remembered by his younger brother Roger, USMA
'53, as hard working, diligent and responsible, even as a teenager.
Paul graduated from A.B. Davis High School in Mount Vernon, New
York and attended Doc Silverman's in Washington, DC for four
months before entering West Point in July 1943 as a member of
the Class of 1946.
Paul's life as a cadet was relatively uneventful. He struggled
some with academics but was never in any real difficulty. He
was always cheerful and optimistic about life in general. Paul's
mother, who was slowly dying during Paul's West Point years,
wanted to live long enough to see Paul graduate. Unfortunately,
she died in the spring just before he graduated. Paul's real
ambition was to fly, so when the opportunity arose to take flight
training yearling year, he jumped at the chance. He was extremely
disappointed when he washed out of the program. With this avenue
blocked, Paul decided that the next best thing would be to go
into the Infantry and become a paratrooper.
Paul reported with his Infantry classmates to Fort Benning,
Georgia for basic schooling. He had a motorcycle accident one
night, breaking his leg, which disqualified him for jump training.
His first assignment after school was to Korea, where he was
assigned to K Company, 32nd Infantry in April 1947. In October
1947, he was transferred to F Company, 31st Infantry, still in
Korea. Paul returned to the States in January 1949 as executive
officer, Headquarters and Service Company, 43rd Armored Infantry
Battalion, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and in March 1949 was made platoon
leader of B Company, 43rd Battalion. On 21 May 1949, Paul married
Lorraine Caffrey in Tucson, Arizona. They returned to Fort Sill
where Paul was to begin the realization of his oft-untracked
dream, to fly. He got accepted for light aviation training and
in June 1949 became a student pilot at Connally Air Force Base,
Waco, Texas. After successfully completing the course at Connally,
Paul continued his training at Fort Sill in June 1950. Still
determined to fly with the Air Force, Paul applied for a service
transfer while at Fort Sill. In the meantime, he was assigned
to the 24th Infantry Division as a spotter pilot and joined the
division in Korea on 6 July 1950, shortly after the outbreak
of the Korean War. On 25 July 1950, his transfer to the Air Force
came through, but Paul continued to fly with the 24th Division
as an Air Force officer directing air strikes in the Pusan perimeter
defense. For his many combat missions flown during this tour,
Paul received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal
with four Oak Leaf Clusters.
In November 1950, Paul returned from Korea and took basic
and advanced flight training in Oklahoma and at San Angelo, Texas.
His final training was on all-weather interceptors at Tyndall
Air Force Base, Florida. Paul and Lorraine then went to Hamilton
Air Force Base, California, where Paul was an all-weather jet
fighter pilot with the 83rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. Later
in 1952, they moved to Paine Air Force Base, Washington, where
Paul flew the F-89 jet, a two-seater all-weather interceptor.
He was flying a mission on 28 August 1952 when his aircraft broke
apart and he was killed. His friend, John Kusewitt, was en route
to Korea when he learned of Paul's death. From the replacement
center in California, John traveled to Washington to see Lorraine.
While there, he talked to Paul's radar officer who told him about
the crash. They had started a high-speed letdown at about 20,000
feet when there was an explosion and the aircraft apparently
started to break up. The radar officer didn't know whether an
engine exploded or if there were a structural failure in a wing.
The radar officer tried to raise Paul on the intercom but there
was no answer. He believes that Paul was unconscious. The radar
officer safely ejected, but Paul's body was found not far from
the wreckage, and there was no indication of any attempt to open
his chute. Soon after Paul's accident (the third F-89 in a week),
the F-89's were grounded and shortly thereafter retired from
service. Paul was survived by his wife Lorraine, his father and
his brother Roger.
Paul Miller Ellman, Jr. was good natured, outgoing and unpretentious.
His great sense of humor, coupled with inordinate common sense,
made him many good and lasting friends. He was proud to be a
West Pointer and amply demonstrated his courage and devotion
to duty. He was driven to excel - witness what he went through
to be able to achieve his goal of flying Air Force jet fighters.
He sought out challenges and met them with excellence, confidence
and good cheer. He was a loving and caring husband, a true and
sincere friend and classmate. When reflecting on the true attributes
of "Duty, Honor, County," it is graduates such as Paul
Ellman who come to mind. He personified what West Point strives
to produce; a good soldier, a good man and a true patriot. Paul
left his wife and classmates many years ago to join the "Long
Gray Line," yet the memory of the love for his wife and
the quality of his friendship will remain forever. "Well
Done, Paul; Be Thou at Peace!"
'46 Memorial Article Project and his wife, Lorraine
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