Paula Fritz

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, December 30, 2008

One of our great military heroes, Col. Paul C. Fritz, U.S. Air Force (retired) passed away at his home on Dec. 27, 2008, at the age of 87.
Paul was born on Oct. 13, 1921, in the small southern Minnesota town of Albert Lea. After graduating from high school as the student-body president at the age of 16, Paul’s military service began in 1939 when at age 18 he joined a new National Guard company in Albert Lea. This was two weeks before Hitler invaded Poland, starting World War II. Soon thereafter, Paul was selected for officer candidate school, receiving his commission in 1942 at Camp Gruber, near Muskogee, Okla.
While in Muskogee, he had a blind date with a local girl, Billie Hauser, on New Year’s Eve. Paul said to himself upon seeing her descend the stairs, “I am going to marry that girl.” They were married five weeks later, and their marriage lasted more than 52 years until her passing in 1995.
Soon after his marriage, Paul answered the call for young officers to become Air Corps pilots. After flight training, Paul saw duty in the Pacific prior to the end of World War II and was selected for a commission in the newly formed Air Force in 1947. In 1950, Paul began an extended tour of duty in the Korean War as a C-47 pilot, accumulating almost 5,000 pilot hours. Paul is one of the “Chosin Few,” having played a major role in the rescue of 5,000 U.S. troops at the Chosin Reservoir, for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, in addition to his numerous other medals and commendations. Following the Korean War, Paul was on the faculty of the Air Command and Staff College for three years, lecturing in front of 1,000 students at a time. He later served in France, Hawaii and at the Pentagon before retiring from the Air Force in 1969.
Following his retirement, Paul opened a bicycle shop to “stay busy” in McLean, Va., before moving to Austin, Texas, in 1987. After eight lonely years following the passing of his beloved wife, Paul moved to the Edgemere Retirement Community in Dallas, Texas, in 2003 to be closer to his daughter, Valerie, and her family. Soon thereafter, a new chapter in Paul’s life began when he met and fell in love with Joy Peatross, who had also recently moved to Edgemere. Paul and Joy were married in 2004 in a beautiful ceremony at the Dallas Country Club. Paul and Joy enjoyed an active, rich, wonderful life together, surrounded by friends and family.
Paul was an accomplished military historian, authoring numerous articles on the Civil War, the Korean War and other topics for various magazines. He was also a talented woodworker who made many beautiful pieces of furniture. Most importantly, Paul was a loving husband, father and grandfather and a respected role model to all.
Paul was preceded in death by his wife, Billie H. Fritz, and his son, Lt. Col. Mark C. Fritz.
Paul is survived by his wife, Joy P. Fritz; his daughter, Valerie F. Cavanaugh; his grandchildren: William T. Cavanaugh III, Brian P. Cavanaugh, Jeffrey M. Fritz and Jennifer A. Fritz; his brothers: Eliel and John Fritz; his sisters: Margaret Olsen, Mae Skindlov, Harriett Esse and Nancy Christian: son-in-law, William T. Cavanaugh Jr.; and daughter-in-law, Pamela C. Fritz.
A memorial service will be held today at noon in the Northwest Highway Chapel at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, Texas. Paul will be laid to rest in the Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Operation Homefront at 8930 Fourwinds Drive, Ste. 340, San Antonio, TX, 78239 or http://www.operationhomefront.net to support our nation’s military families.