Lt. Col. Paul Anthony Merola, USA Ret. Lt. Col. Paul Anthony Merola, USA Ret., 78, was born into extreme poverty at the height of the Depression, on October 22, 1930, at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Paul was the only son of Joseph Anthony Merola and Lottie Louise Ellis Merola.
His cherished sister, Charlotte Louise Lane of Woodbine, MD, preceded him in death.
He died at home May 15, 2009 of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
His father immigrated to America, bringing his viola, from Bari, Italy, at age 16.
Within three years, Joseph joined the US Army, became a soldier and a bugler.
In Europe, during battles with Gen. Douglas McArthur's Rainbow Division, he was poisoned with mustard gas.
When he returned to Ft. Leonard he learned to play the clarinet and was named to the US Navy Band as the first chair viola and clarinet player.
Paul's mother, of St. Mary's county, Maryland, was the daughter of an oysterman. She was a descendant of the earliest Catholic settlers of the colony of Maryland, who said the first Catholic Mass in 1634. She was a devoted mother who guided her family along high principles.
Paul was named Cadet Colonel of St. John's College High School in 1950.
He enlisted in the Army during the Korean Conflict and received an appointment to West Point in 1952. The 2nd Lieutenant graduated June 5, 1956 from USMA at West Point, N.Y.
The next day, at Catholic Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity, he married Nancy Rosaire White of Wayne, NJ whom he had met there on a blind date 2 years previously.
Paul adored his beloved wife Nancy. They were married for 53 years.
He was a loving and attentive father.
Paul's children are Wendy Merola, M.D., husband Larry Sommer and daughter Jenna; Allison Lonergan, husband Jim and sons Luke and Zachary; Monika Merola, sons Avi and Dominic Ramos and daughter Cecilia Ramos; Tod Merola, Gillian Adams, son Sean and daughter Mimi; and Gay Brennan, husband Bill, son Joseph and daughter Grace.
He attended BIOC, and Airborne and Ranger schools at Ft. Benning, GA. then went to Augsburg, Germany with the 11th Airborne Division, which became the 24th Infantry Division.
In 1960 he was Executive Officer with the 77th Special Forces at Ft. Bragg, NC. Captain Merola took the first command of Headquarters Company of the newly formed 5th Special Forces group of the Special Army Warfare Center. He spent 6 months with Special Forces in Southeast Asia. President John F. Kennedy gave authorization to Specials Forces to wear the green beret.
He served in Vietnam in 1963-64 where he was exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. In 1964 Paul was brigade assistant operations officer at Ft. Benning for the 197th Light Infantry Brigade.
In April 1965, after promotion to major, he was chosen as aide-de-camp to General Paul Lamar Freeman, then highest ranking general of the Continental US Army, (CONARC), the position first held by General George Washington. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, VA. Lt. Col. Merola returned to Vietnam from 1968-69 and was assigned to MACV Headquarters in Saigon.
In October 1969 he was battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. In 1971 he became Secretary to the General Staff of the 18th Airborne Corps.
In 1972 the Merola family moved to Yongsan, Seoul, Korea, where Paul was with the United Nations Command and later to Hqs. Co. Eighth Army to work for the Joint United Services Military Assistance Group.
He earned a Master's Degree in Education from USC and in 1975, retired from the military in Austin.
Paul studied Educational Psychology at the University of Texas, and electronics at Southwest School of Electronics. He was employed as a technical writer by APC (3M), Data General, Tandem, IBM on contract, and retired from Dell in 1997.
Surviving nieces and nephews are Sharon Goldberg, Shelley Carow, Janet Lane, Laurie Tinsman, Jay Lane, John Lane, and Paul Lane. Paul truly loved God, Who was the center of his life.
He and his wife lived their steadfast Catholic faith with their children and extended family. During his entire life he engaged in athletics, enjoying baseball, handball, tennis, and golf.
Paul was a lifelong learner who studied, rather than read, in a variety of genres particularly the Civil War, the sciences and music.
Our husband, father and grandfather was a man of abiding faith and integrity. It is said Paul was a soldier known to have the best attitude. He was tenacious, humble, and brave.
Visitation will be held 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., a Vigil will begin at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 21, 2009 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 22, 2009 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church 10205 RR 620 North.
Interment will follow at a later date at West Point Cemetery in New York.
Paul was the only son of Joseph Anthony Merola and Lottie Louise Ellis Merola.
His cherished sister, Charlotte Louise Lane of Woodbine, MD, preceded him in death.
He died at home May 15, 2009 of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
His father immigrated to America, bringing his viola, from Bari, Italy, at age 16.
Within three years, Joseph joined the US Army, became a soldier and a bugler.
In Europe, during battles with Gen. Douglas McArthur's Rainbow Division, he was poisoned with mustard gas.
When he returned to Ft. Leonard he learned to play the clarinet and was named to the US Navy Band as the first chair viola and clarinet player.
Paul's mother, of St. Mary's county, Maryland, was the daughter of an oysterman. She was a descendant of the earliest Catholic settlers of the colony of Maryland, who said the first Catholic Mass in 1634. She was a devoted mother who guided her family along high principles.
Paul was named Cadet Colonel of St. John's College High School in 1950.
He enlisted in the Army during the Korean Conflict and received an appointment to West Point in 1952. The 2nd Lieutenant graduated June 5, 1956 from USMA at West Point, N.Y.
The next day, at Catholic Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity, he married Nancy Rosaire White of Wayne, NJ whom he had met there on a blind date 2 years previously.
Paul adored his beloved wife Nancy. They were married for 53 years.
He was a loving and attentive father.
Paul's children are Wendy Merola, M.D., husband Larry Sommer and daughter Jenna; Allison Lonergan, husband Jim and sons Luke and Zachary; Monika Merola, sons Avi and Dominic Ramos and daughter Cecilia Ramos; Tod Merola, Gillian Adams, son Sean and daughter Mimi; and Gay Brennan, husband Bill, son Joseph and daughter Grace.
He attended BIOC, and Airborne and Ranger schools at Ft. Benning, GA. then went to Augsburg, Germany with the 11th Airborne Division, which became the 24th Infantry Division.
In 1960 he was Executive Officer with the 77th Special Forces at Ft. Bragg, NC. Captain Merola took the first command of Headquarters Company of the newly formed 5th Special Forces group of the Special Army Warfare Center. He spent 6 months with Special Forces in Southeast Asia. President John F. Kennedy gave authorization to Specials Forces to wear the green beret.
He served in Vietnam in 1963-64 where he was exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. In 1964 Paul was brigade assistant operations officer at Ft. Benning for the 197th Light Infantry Brigade.
In April 1965, after promotion to major, he was chosen as aide-de-camp to General Paul Lamar Freeman, then highest ranking general of the Continental US Army, (CONARC), the position first held by General George Washington. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, VA. Lt. Col. Merola returned to Vietnam from 1968-69 and was assigned to MACV Headquarters in Saigon.
In October 1969 he was battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. In 1971 he became Secretary to the General Staff of the 18th Airborne Corps.
In 1972 the Merola family moved to Yongsan, Seoul, Korea, where Paul was with the United Nations Command and later to Hqs. Co. Eighth Army to work for the Joint United Services Military Assistance Group.
He earned a Master's Degree in Education from USC and in 1975, retired from the military in Austin.
Paul studied Educational Psychology at the University of Texas, and electronics at Southwest School of Electronics. He was employed as a technical writer by APC (3M), Data General, Tandem, IBM on contract, and retired from Dell in 1997.
Surviving nieces and nephews are Sharon Goldberg, Shelley Carow, Janet Lane, Laurie Tinsman, Jay Lane, John Lane, and Paul Lane. Paul truly loved God, Who was the center of his life.
He and his wife lived their steadfast Catholic faith with their children and extended family. During his entire life he engaged in athletics, enjoying baseball, handball, tennis, and golf.
Paul was a lifelong learner who studied, rather than read, in a variety of genres particularly the Civil War, the sciences and music.
Our husband, father and grandfather was a man of abiding faith and integrity. It is said Paul was a soldier known to have the best attitude. He was tenacious, humble, and brave.
Visitation will be held 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., a Vigil will begin at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 21, 2009 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 22, 2009 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church 10205 RR 620 North.
Interment will follow at a later date at West Point Cemetery in New York.
Lt. Col. Paul Anthony Merola, USA Ret. Lt. Col. Paul Anthony Merola, USA Ret., 78, was born into extreme poverty at the height of the Depression, on October 22, 1930, at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Paul was the only son of Joseph Anthony Merola and Lottie Louise Ellis Merola.
His cherished sister, Charlotte Louise Lane of Woodbine, MD, preceded him in death.
He died at home May 15, 2009 of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
His father immigrated to America, bringing his viola, from Bari, Italy, at age 16.
Within three years, Joseph joined the US Army, became a soldier and a bugler.
In Europe, during battles with Gen. Douglas McArthur's Rainbow Division, he was poisoned with mustard gas.
When he returned to Ft. Leonard he learned to play the clarinet and was named to the US Navy Band as the first chair viola and clarinet player.
Paul's mother, of St. Mary's county, Maryland, was the daughter of an oysterman. She was a descendant of the earliest Catholic settlers of the colony of Maryland, who said the first Catholic Mass in 1634. She was a devoted mother who guided her family along high principles.
Paul was named Cadet Colonel of St. John's College High School in 1950.
He enlisted in the Army during the Korean Conflict and received an appointment to West Point in 1952. The 2nd Lieutenant graduated June 5, 1956 from USMA at West Point, N.Y.
The next day, at Catholic Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity, he married Nancy Rosaire White of Wayne, NJ whom he had met there on a blind date 2 years previously.
Paul adored his beloved wife Nancy. They were married for 53 years.
He was a loving and attentive father.
Paul's children are Wendy Merola, M.D., husband Larry Sommer and daughter Jenna; Allison Lonergan, husband Jim and sons Luke and Zachary; Monika Merola, sons Avi and Dominic Ramos and daughter Cecilia Ramos; Tod Merola, Gillian Adams, son Sean and daughter Mimi; and Gay Brennan, husband Bill, son Joseph and daughter Grace.
He attended BIOC, and Airborne and Ranger schools at Ft. Benning, GA. then went to Augsburg, Germany with the 11th Airborne Division, which became the 24th Infantry Division.
In 1960 he was Executive Officer with the 77th Special Forces at Ft. Bragg, NC. Captain Merola took the first command of Headquarters Company of the newly formed 5th Special Forces group of the Special Army Warfare Center. He spent 6 months with Special Forces in Southeast Asia. President John F. Kennedy gave authorization to Specials Forces to wear the green beret.
He served in Vietnam in 1963-64 where he was exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. In 1964 Paul was brigade assistant operations officer at Ft. Benning for the 197th Light Infantry Brigade.
In April 1965, after promotion to major, he was chosen as aide-de-camp to General Paul Lamar Freeman, then highest ranking general of the Continental US Army, (CONARC), the position first held by General George Washington. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, VA. Lt. Col. Merola returned to Vietnam from 1968-69 and was assigned to MACV Headquarters in Saigon.
In October 1969 he was battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. In 1971 he became Secretary to the General Staff of the 18th Airborne Corps.
In 1972 the Merola family moved to Yongsan, Seoul, Korea, where Paul was with the United Nations Command and later to Hqs. Co. Eighth Army to work for the Joint United Services Military Assistance Group.
He earned a Master's Degree in Education from USC and in 1975, retired from the military in Austin.
Paul studied Educational Psychology at the University of Texas, and electronics at Southwest School of Electronics. He was employed as a technical writer by APC (3M), Data General, Tandem, IBM on contract, and retired from Dell in 1997.
Surviving nieces and nephews are Sharon Goldberg, Shelley Carow, Janet Lane, Laurie Tinsman, Jay Lane, John Lane, and Paul Lane. Paul truly loved God, Who was the center of his life.
He and his wife lived their steadfast Catholic faith with their children and extended family. During his entire life he engaged in athletics, enjoying baseball, handball, tennis, and golf.
Paul was a lifelong learner who studied, rather than read, in a variety of genres particularly the Civil War, the sciences and music.
Our husband, father and grandfather was a man of abiding faith and integrity. It is said Paul was a soldier known to have the best attitude. He was tenacious, humble, and brave.
Visitation will be held 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., a Vigil will begin at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 21, 2009 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 22, 2009 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church 10205 RR 620 North.
Interment will follow at a later date at West Point Cemetery in New York.
Paul was the only son of Joseph Anthony Merola and Lottie Louise Ellis Merola.
His cherished sister, Charlotte Louise Lane of Woodbine, MD, preceded him in death.
He died at home May 15, 2009 of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).
His father immigrated to America, bringing his viola, from Bari, Italy, at age 16.
Within three years, Joseph joined the US Army, became a soldier and a bugler.
In Europe, during battles with Gen. Douglas McArthur's Rainbow Division, he was poisoned with mustard gas.
When he returned to Ft. Leonard he learned to play the clarinet and was named to the US Navy Band as the first chair viola and clarinet player.
Paul's mother, of St. Mary's county, Maryland, was the daughter of an oysterman. She was a descendant of the earliest Catholic settlers of the colony of Maryland, who said the first Catholic Mass in 1634. She was a devoted mother who guided her family along high principles.
Paul was named Cadet Colonel of St. John's College High School in 1950.
He enlisted in the Army during the Korean Conflict and received an appointment to West Point in 1952. The 2nd Lieutenant graduated June 5, 1956 from USMA at West Point, N.Y.
The next day, at Catholic Chapel of the Most Holy Trinity, he married Nancy Rosaire White of Wayne, NJ whom he had met there on a blind date 2 years previously.
Paul adored his beloved wife Nancy. They were married for 53 years.
He was a loving and attentive father.
Paul's children are Wendy Merola, M.D., husband Larry Sommer and daughter Jenna; Allison Lonergan, husband Jim and sons Luke and Zachary; Monika Merola, sons Avi and Dominic Ramos and daughter Cecilia Ramos; Tod Merola, Gillian Adams, son Sean and daughter Mimi; and Gay Brennan, husband Bill, son Joseph and daughter Grace.
He attended BIOC, and Airborne and Ranger schools at Ft. Benning, GA. then went to Augsburg, Germany with the 11th Airborne Division, which became the 24th Infantry Division.
In 1960 he was Executive Officer with the 77th Special Forces at Ft. Bragg, NC. Captain Merola took the first command of Headquarters Company of the newly formed 5th Special Forces group of the Special Army Warfare Center. He spent 6 months with Special Forces in Southeast Asia. President John F. Kennedy gave authorization to Specials Forces to wear the green beret.
He served in Vietnam in 1963-64 where he was exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. In 1964 Paul was brigade assistant operations officer at Ft. Benning for the 197th Light Infantry Brigade.
In April 1965, after promotion to major, he was chosen as aide-de-camp to General Paul Lamar Freeman, then highest ranking general of the Continental US Army, (CONARC), the position first held by General George Washington. He graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, VA. Lt. Col. Merola returned to Vietnam from 1968-69 and was assigned to MACV Headquarters in Saigon.
In October 1969 he was battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion, 325th Infantry, 82nd Airborne Division. In 1971 he became Secretary to the General Staff of the 18th Airborne Corps.
In 1972 the Merola family moved to Yongsan, Seoul, Korea, where Paul was with the United Nations Command and later to Hqs. Co. Eighth Army to work for the Joint United Services Military Assistance Group.
He earned a Master's Degree in Education from USC and in 1975, retired from the military in Austin.
Paul studied Educational Psychology at the University of Texas, and electronics at Southwest School of Electronics. He was employed as a technical writer by APC (3M), Data General, Tandem, IBM on contract, and retired from Dell in 1997.
Surviving nieces and nephews are Sharon Goldberg, Shelley Carow, Janet Lane, Laurie Tinsman, Jay Lane, John Lane, and Paul Lane. Paul truly loved God, Who was the center of his life.
He and his wife lived their steadfast Catholic faith with their children and extended family. During his entire life he engaged in athletics, enjoying baseball, handball, tennis, and golf.
Paul was a lifelong learner who studied, rather than read, in a variety of genres particularly the Civil War, the sciences and music.
Our husband, father and grandfather was a man of abiding faith and integrity. It is said Paul was a soldier known to have the best attitude. He was tenacious, humble, and brave.
Visitation will be held 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., a Vigil will begin at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 21, 2009 at Cook-Walden Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 22, 2009 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church 10205 RR 620 North.
Interment will follow at a later date at West Point Cemetery in New York.
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