Display honoring war hero unveiled inside old Whitley County courthouse

A display honoring a Williamsburg native and war hero has officially been unveiled at the old Whitley County Courthouse.

Members of the JC Paul Detachment Marine Corps League in Williamsburg, Whitley County Motorcycle Group and Backroads of Appalachia came together Saturday for the dedication of the display, which memorializes Joe Calvin Paul and his bravery during the Vietnam War.

Paul was born April 23, 1946, in Williamsburg, where he was raised until the age of 14, when his family moved to Dayton, Ohio. Just a few years later, Paul enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1963. Over the next two years, Paul rose through the ranks, eventually being promoted to lance corporal.

In May 1965, Paul and his unit were shipped out to the Republic of Vietnam. Paul’s unit participated in Operation Starlite, which Wikipedia describes as “the first major offensive action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War.”

During that operation, on Aug. 18, 1965, Paul and his unit were pinned down as were several Marines who had been wounded. To help ensure that his fellow Marines were evacuated, Paul entrenched himself between the enemy and his comrades, providing suppressive fire to divert the enemy. Paul’s attempts were a success, though he was severely wounded during the firefight and died as a result of his injuries the following day.

In 1967, Paul was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the most prestigious military decoration one can receive.

The memorial display includes a ‘60s-era Marine dress blues uniform adorned with a legitimate copy of Paul’s Medal of Honor, which Greg Sims, commandant of the JC Paul Detachment Marine Corps League, was able to obtain from a member of Paul’s family. The uniform also sports the ribbon versions of the various medals that Paul was awarded during his time in the service, with the ribbons themselves exhibited in a separate display at its side.

There is another case that has a variety of information about Paul, including newspaper clippings, recognitions and a photo of his family receiving the Medal of Honor in 1967.

The uniform was on display during the unveiling Saturday, though Sims said it will not be put up permanently until he is able to get an encased display for it to be placed in.

Sims has been championing for the continued preservation of Paul’s achievements for many years now. Sims’ work started in early 2020, attempting to get a Kentucky Historical Society Marker placed in town commemorating Paul, but that was delayed due to the COVID pandemic.

The marker was eventually erected outside the old Whitley County Courthouse during a special ceremony last August.

Sims later partnered with the Whitley County Motorcycle Group, who, through their association with Backroads of Appalachia, established a new scenic trail honoring Paul. That trail begins on KY-904 where it meets KY-92 and continues 13.3 miles, passing through the Nevisdale community of Whitley County where Paul was born and continues along that highway until eventually ending where it runs back into KY-92.

Following Saturday’s unveiling, Backroad of Appalachia held a motorcycle ride, which took place along the Joe C. Paul Trail.

Sims said that he has more plans for the future to continue carrying on Paul’s name. He is currently working on getting a monument placed in the area where Paul was born.