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Paul N. Chase  1957

Cullum No. 21166-1957 | June 24, 2003 | Died in Albuquerque, NM
Cremated. Ashes released over the Sandia Mountains, Albuquerque, NM


Paul Norman Chase, Jr. was born in Brookville, MS, to Elizabeth Gregg Crisler and Paul Norman Chase. As a child, he was fascinated with flying and dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot. After complet­ing his secondary education at the Marion Military Institute, Marion, AL, he received a Congressional appointment to West Point from Mississippi Senator John Stennis.

Paul excelled in academics and athletics as well as leadership. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class, represented the Academy as an outstanding water polo player, and dur­ing First Class Year was the brigade adjutant. He gave much of himself; a characteristic he carried throughout his life.

Upon graduation, Paul was commissioned in the Air Force and, after pilot training, was awarded his pilot wings in the fall of 1958. His first assignment was as a pilot instructor, a task at which he excelled. He later transi­tioned into fighters, eventually serving two tours in Vietnam, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, ten Air Medals and the Silver Star for heroism. The citation reads in part “... Captain Chase bombed and strafed at night under an 800-foot ceiling and in the face of devastating hostile ground fire. Volunteering for a second mission into the area to show the next flight the best at­tack headings and tactics, he bombed hostile positions and strafed Viet Cong .50 caliber gun emplacements with great tenacity.” While in Vietnam, his compassionate nature drove him to collect toys and clothing from friends and acquaintances back home for the Vietnamese children.

Future assignments found Paul as an F-4 instructor at George; Air Officer Commanding at the Air Force Academy; “Red Baron” project officer at Nellis; chief wing aircrew evaluator in F-4s at Kunsan, Korea; flight commander and operations officer at Holloman; commander, 414th Fighter Weapons Squadron at Nellis; student at the Air War College; Headquarters USAF, the Pentagon; vice wing commander, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, Germany; deputy commander, Incerlik, Turkey; wing commander, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, Germany; and vice commander, Air Force Test and Evaluation Command, Kirkland. Paul had a distinguished military career in which his contributions were significant.

After his retirement from active duty in 1984, Paul continued service to his country as Director Special Tests, Stealth F117-A in the desert northwest of Las Vegas, NV. His contributions here were indeed noteworthy because they involved significant improve­ments in the capabilities of military aircraft, directly impacting the power and dominance of the United States Air Force.

There are many words one could use to describe Paul, but the one that would be included in everybody’s list would be “de­termination.” During Cow summer, one of the many orientations received was a flight in the Air Force T-33 trainer. It was the high­light of the summer for the Air Force files to have an opportunity to fly with an instruc­tor pilot and experience aileron rolls, barrel rolls, loops, etc. Well, it was not Paul’s best day, because he became air sick. Then, to add insult to injury, on the ride back to quarters, Paul was forced to ride in the back of the bus with all the windows open and suffer the indignities hurled at him by his classmates. When primary flight school began at Bartow Air Base, Paul again suffered from air sick­ness but fought it with a will which did not go unnoticed by his classmates. Although he was one of the last to solo, he did overcome the problem with fierce determination that this was not going to stand between him and his becoming a fighter pilot. He carried that strength throughout his career, and it served him and our nation well.

Paul was a gifted athlete, an avid skier, excellent tennis player, enjoyed ballroom dancing and was an accomplished soaring pilot. He enjoyed 15 years with the National Ski Patrol and his involvement with the Aspenosium Ski Club and Albuquerque Soaring Club. He served as president for both organizations.

After completing a thrilling aerobatic per­formance in his Sailplane at the Albuquerque Air Show 1989, an impressed young man said to Paul, “Dude, that was awesome, you are so not afraid to die!” Paul cocked his head and replied “Dude, I had no intention of dying, I’m just not afraid to live.” And that is what he did, he lived life.

There are many tales floating around in­volving Paul’s exploits that contribute to Air Force folklore, and the great majority of them are true. Paul never slacked at anything nor did he ever want to lose any competition. Those who knew him held him in the high­est esteem for his huge heart, fairness, honor and loyalty. Whether you flew, worked or lived with Paul, you knew he would have your back. Paul was a dynamic, strong, and joyous part of our lives, and we are indeed fortunate for our memories which serve as an inspiration to us. In all he did, he contributed in generous measure of himself.

Paul is survived by his beloved wife Barb; daughters Heather Chase and Cathy and husband Dave Durrill; son Aaron Roylance; and grandchildren, Taylor, Rachel, and Cole. His ashes were set free from a sailplane over the Sandias on 4 Jul 2003. Be thou at peace.

He caught the ultimate thermal

And now is soaring high

Flybys loop and rolls

Wing waggles in the sky.

He schusses the Alpen glow

And slaloms on golden skis.

Grappa huts, Eierlikors and Stingers

 Floating in the breeze

He plays tennis on a cloud

So easy on his knees,

Never hit it to the net man

And aces come with ease.

He dances the Argentine tango

Notes he does not need,

Shadow rocks, flairs, promenades

And more he gets to lead.

He lives in our hearts and memories,

Plays in the sky above

Remember him and rejoice

 Forever he is loved.

—Barb

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