Craig Allan PaulCaptain744TH BOMB SQDN, 43RD STRAT WING, SAC United States Air Force 28 August 1946 - 26 October 1977 Columbus, Ohio Panel 01W Line 097 |
 
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The database page for Craig Allan Paul
A true friend and Airman -- you are not forgotten!From a friend and classmate,Jim Foster jaf10@cox.net |
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REMEMBERED
by his son, 14 Sep 2007
New additions to family!
Many heartfelt thanks to the Gelonecks, Terry and Jane;
From his son, |
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Craig was my classmate, a great aviator, and above all, my friend. I remember Craig in Flight School in California as probably the nicest person I had encountered. He was humble, yet heroic; talented, yet soft-spoken; and he was kind; so very kind. The last adjective is perhaps not one normally asociated with the term "war hero" and is not always associated with the term "courageous". But Craig was both. He would give you the shirt off of his back, if he thought he could help you. I remember once when I had forgotten to bring my lunch to Flight Training, and Craig was quick to hear and respond that he wasn't that hungry, anyway, and I could have half of his. I remember us eagerly cheering each other on in Flight School in California. He was a rare gem among us common human stones. I heard that his wife was expecting a baby when the news of his death came to her. I cried at his grave marker when I found it at the USAFA, when I visited one summer and saw it there. How neat to be able to meet my dear friend's son on this site. What a great Dad and wonderful human being he was!
Joe Snead |
Notes from The Virtual WallThe LINEBACKER II operations which began on the night of 18/19 December 1972 were intended as a three-day operation using B-52D and B-52G heavy bombers against targets in North Vietnam. Three of the B-52s were brought down on the first night of operations; none on the second (19/20 Dec). On the third night, 20/21 Dec, 99 B-52s operating from bases in Guam and Thailand struck targets in the Haiphong/Hanoi areas.One of these targets was the Yen Vien railroad yard just north of Hanoi. As a "cell" of B-52Gs began their run-in to weapons release they were taken under SA-2 missile fire. At this point the aircraft could not maneuver without disrupting their bombing solutions, so QUILT cell remained on course. Immediately after weapons release, QUILT 3 (B-52G tail number 57-6496) started a hard left bank but was struck by at least one SA-2. Captain Paul and SSgt Madden were badly injured and the bomber fatally damaged. The aircraft commander, Captain Geloneck, directed the crew to abandon their aircraft. Four of the six crewmen were captured and released in Feb/Mar 1973; the other two did not survive. QUILT 3 was manned by a crew from the 456th Bomb Wing attached to the 72nd Strat Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam:
The POW Network bio for Captain Paul gives his unit as the 307th Strat Wing at U-Tapao RTAFB, Thailand. However, all the B-52G models involved in the strike flew from Guam, as did 24 of the 57 B-52Ds. The 33 remaining B-52Ds originated at U-Tapao. |
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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 13 Nov 2002
Last updated 08/10/2009