Williamsburg native’s Vietnam War sacrifice remembered

This sign, along Hwy. 92 in Williamsburg, names a stretch of the road in honor of Joe C. Paul. Paul died when he was 19 during the Vietnam War. and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Wednesday was the 50th anniversary of the heroic wartime actions that led to the death, and posthumous Medal of Honor award for a Williamsburg soldier who died during the Vietnam War.

U.S. Marine Corps. Lance Corporal Joe C. Paul was 19-years-old when he lost his life while diverting an attack from Viet Cong fighters long enough to allow the evacuation of wounded buddies during Operation Starlight near Chu Lai, Vietnam on Aug. 18, 1965.

According to the citation that accompanied his Congressional Medal of Honor, Paul was “pinned down, by devastating mortar fire, recoilless rifle, automatic weapons, and rifle fire delivered by insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in well entrenched positions.” Wounded marines with his group could not move from their “perilously exposed positions.” Amidst all this, they were suddenly hit with a barrage of white phosphorous rifle grenades.

Paul, knowing he would likely die in the process, “boldly dashed across the fire-swept rice paddies, placed himself between his wounded comrades and the enemy, and delivered effective suppressive fire with his automatic weapon in order to divert the attack long enough to allow the casualties to be evacuated.”

He was critically wounded in the battle, but continued to fire at the enemy. He eventually collapsed and was evacuated. He died on Aug. 19.

Paul received the Medal of Honor on Feb. 7, 1967. He was honored in ceremonies in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Paul H. Nitze, who presented the award to his parents.

William Chambers, a Williamsburg resident who is familiar with some of Paul’s family, said he felt that with the 50th anniversary of Paul’s sacrifice it would be good to remember his heroic deeds.

“He was just 19-years-old when he died,” Chambers said. “I knew his uncle. He said he was a good boy when he was young. I just thought it would be nice to have something in the papers so that people would know who he was.”

Paul was born in Williamsburg on April 23, 1946. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. On April 26, 1963.

In August of 1971, the U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Paul, a Knox-class frigate. It was named in his honor.

Paul’s name is on the war memorial on the Whitley County Courthouse lawn in Williamsburg and on the Medal of Honor Memorial on the Jefferson County Courthouse Square in Louisville.

In 2012, a section of Hwy. 92 in Williamsburg was named after Paul following the approval of legislation by former State Senate President David Williams.

In 2015, State Senator Albert Robinson introduced legislation that altered the sign to show that Paul was a Medal of Honor recipient.