Douglas Johnson
I SERVED WITH PAUL IN THE US ARMY IN THE 1980'S. HE WAS GREAT. I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM HIM AND CHERISHED EVERY MOMENT. I CLIMBED MOUNT HOOD IN OREGON WITH HIM AND THE REST OF OUR UNIT. SGT MARK HENDERSON AND I AND FIRST SERGEANT WERE ALL ROPED TOGETHER ON THE CLIMB.PAUL WAS THE LEAD CLIMBER AND HIS CRAMPON CAME OFF HIS BOOT AND HE LOST HIS FOOTING AND FELL. THAT PULLED SGT HENDERSON OFF HIS FEET. I HEARD THEM FALLING ABOVE ME AND I TOOK MY ICE AXE AND BURIED IT IN THE SNOW QUICKLY AND HELD ON WITH ALL MY MIGHT AS THEY FELL PAST ME AND DRUG ME THROUGH THE SNOW. SOMEONE IN MY UNIT SAT ON MY BACK AND OTHERS PULLED PAUL AND MARK UP. THE ROPE HAD PEELED AND BLOODIED MY SKIN AROUND MY WAIST BUT WE WERE ALL OKAY. WHEN WE GOT BACK TO FORT LEWIS PAUL CALLED ME INTO HIS OFFICE AND HANDED ME THE KEYS TO HIS BRAND NEW WHITE MAZDA RX7 AND HE THANKED ME FOR WHAT I HAD DONE AND TOLD ME TO TAKE HIS CAR FOR THE WEEKEND. I WAS ABSOLUTELY FLOORED BY HIS GENEROSITY. WE WALKED OUTSIDE TO HIS CAR AND I AM SUCH A LARGE LUMOX THAT I COULDN'T EVEN GET BEHIND THE SEAT OF THE CAR AND I WAS EVEN TO TALL TO SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I HANDED HIM THE KEYS BACK AND HE SMILED AT ME. WE WENT TO THE NCO CLUB AT FORT LEWIS WASHINGTON AND HE BOUGHT ME A STEAK AND I HAD MY FIRST DRINK OF ALCOHOL. WE DRANK COGNAC. I WAS 22 YEARS OLD. I HAD TURNED 21 YEARS OLD IN THE JUNGLE OF PANAMA THE YEAR BEFORE. PAUL WAS A HERO TO ME MY ENTIRE LIFE. HE WALKED TALL. I FEEL VERY BLESSED TO HAVE SERVED WITH HIM. I SEND ALL MY LOVE AND PRAYERS TO HIS FAMILY AND LOVED ONES. I AM PLACING HIS OBITUARY IN MY BIBLE WITH MY FAMILY MEMBERS OBITUARIES. I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT HOW TO CONDUCT MYSELF AS A MAN FROM PAUL AND MY PLATOON SERGEANT KARL HELLER. THEY TAUGHT ME LIFE LESSONS THAT I AM THANKFUL BEYOND WORDS. SGT DOUGLAS JOHNSON
