HONOR ROLL

 Paul Hillman
 COl. USAF (Ret)
 1923 - 2006

 Colonel Paul Hillman of Shenandoah Iowa, a  Daedalian Life Member and long time member of the LeMay Flight # 16 took his last flight on 8 August 2006. A memorial service was held at the St John’s Lutheran Church in Essex, Iowa on Saturday 12 August 2006. The LeMay Flight, Order of Daedalians was Paul’s flight and it was well represented at the services. Led by our Flight Captain Charlie Daubs, we were there to pay our respects to Paul and his  family. The Offutt Honor Guard presented military honors. They were at the top of their mark. 
     Like many members of the Greatest Generation, Paul answered the call to serve during World War II. A recent Shenandoah graduate in 1941 from high school, Paul was inducted into the US Army at Fort Crook,  Bellevue, Nebraska. Selected to go to flight school, he completed basic, primary, and advanced training receiving his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Corp and his “Silver Wings”. Shortly afterwards, Paul found himself at Wala Wala , Washington in overseas  training as a B-24 pilot with his newly assigned crew of strangers. Armed with all of  300 hours of flight time, membership in the Caterpillar Club and never before being responsible for anyone but himself, now nine other crewmen and a big shinny B-24 was a huge responsibility. But, Lt. Paul Hillman was up to the task.  The bonds of friendship that were developed here at Wala Wala would see them through many  dangerous situations.
    The aviation skills and leadership of  Lieutenant Paul Hillman were  key factors that made the difference between a successful mission and some that you should not have walked away from. Paul’s efforts to regain his flight engineer when a replacement “failed to meet the test”, where the mark of a leader.  Walking away from an out of limits, crosswind, night landing  and then there was the close interval takeoff with the dreaded “prop wash” encounter but with the added attraction of  Paul’s seat becoming unattached from the floor all at the same time, were two experiences that galvanized Paul’s crew.  He brought them through. Paul often referred to luck as the determining factor. Never one to seek the spotlight, this was just Pauls’ character and good nature rising to the surface. He would never seek the credit.  Paul’s skill and leadership would later, many times bring his crew home alive…and he, thinking nothing of it, except to be thankful that his crew had survived.
     Paul and crew began their Pacific odyssey from Hamilton Field, California leaving the Golden Gate to sink  in the sea behind their aircraft enroute to Hickam Field, Hawaii. After a short stay in Hawaii, it was on to Canton Island and finally to Guadalcanal and Nadzab, New Guinea. Paul was assigned to the 13th Air Force, 5th Bomb Group Heavy, 72nd Squadron.  The crews’ first mission was to Rabaul, the anchorage of the Japanese Navy for the entire Pacific Theater war. No milk run for the crew of the “Tailwind” captained by Second Lieutenant Paul Hillman, who had just days before celebrated his twenty-first birthday.
    The 72nd Bomb Squadron and others moved north as the US forces moved or bypassed the Japanese. Next stop the Island of Morati, more missions and then further north to Samar in the Philippines. Paul was on a weather scout mission east of Japan. He sure enough found the hurricane they were sent to find and he found it the old fashion way…he flew into it. White knuckles, courage, and good instrument flying saved the day for the “Tailwind” that day. This mission ended up being the “Tailwinds” final mission of the war. Mission accomplished-VJ Day.
    Returning home after discharge to Shenandoah, Iowa, Paul married the love of his life, high school sweetheart Rosalee Stirlen. Children of this marriage were Suzanne, Cynthia, Rebecca and William. Paul took up farming and rejoined the Air Force Reserves. He was very proud of his service as the US Air Force Academy Liaison  Officer for the State of Iowa. Paul retired from the Air Force in 1983 as a Colonel.
Predeceased by his wife Rosalee, inurnment for Colonel Paul Henry Hillman and his beloved “Rosa” will be in Arlington National Cemetery on 3 October 2006 at 1500 hours. “Together Forever”.