USMA is renowned as an historic and distinguished military academy, and a leading, progressive institution of higher education. Made legendary in books and movies, the Academy's "Long Gray Line" includes some of our nation's most famous leaders: Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower, Norman Schwarzkopf and Joseph Paone, Academy Class of 1961.
On Sept. 12th, Joe Paone a former student at James Madison High School, class of 1956reported for final muster as he was laid to rest among America’s heroes at Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking Washington DC.
Until Joe entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. he was one of the guys who often could be found on Kings Highway, at the Avalon Theatre or in the hallowed halls of James Madison High School. Joe's buddy, Carl Jensen described Joe as an average student who suddenly grew into a man far above average. You have to be above average to get an appointment to West Point and Joe did just that and if you had been there on that first day, you would have witnessed the start of a stellar military career that begin in 1957 and ended in retirement in 1981 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Early on in Joe’s career, he married his high school sweetheart Lucille Penzabene. herself a Madison graduate in 1957 and they went on to have two daughters and six grandchildren who made Joe swell with pride every time he saw them.
Being in the Army means travel and Joe surely did his share. Following his commissioning at West Point, Joe moved on as a brand new 2nd Lieutenant to Fort Benning Georgia for his officer training course. Then it was on to West Germany in 1962. Then, it was back to Fort Benning three years later. But Joe was still on the move. Would you believe he was transferred from Georgia to Manhattan where he attended NYU and classes to receive a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
It was about then that trouble was building in Vietnam and Joe was on the move again. His first tour of duty in Vietnam stretched from 1966 to 1967. He came thru that okay and was rotated home again and it was back to New York for more schooling. He was aiming for another Masters Degree, this one in Business Administration. As I mentioned military service requires a lot of travel. After being in New York from 1967 until 1969, Joe was sent back to Vietnam for his second combat tour.
Joe’s travels are far from finished. Returning from Vietnam in 1970, he heads back to his home base, Fort Benning, Georgia and stays there until 1973 when he is transferred again, this time to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is not there for long though. The Army decides they need him at the Pentagon and in 1974, his duty station is on the banks of the Potomac River. Not too long after that, Joe who is by now spouting a chest full of medals, citations and military awards, is sent to Korea and placed in command of a combat unit there.
Returning later to the Pentagon, Joe, in 1981, decides to experience civilian life once again and with Lucille’s approval, he retires to Manassas, Va. But after some 22 years in uniform, just sitting back was not Joe’s thing and so it was off to the business world. Joe became a representative for companies doing business with the Federal Government. It wasn’t long though before Joe opened his Paone Associates, Inc, a consulting and home improvement contracting company. And things were going well until there was a surprise diagnosis of Lyme disease in 1998 followed by another later, of cancer.
Joe passed away on June 21st, 2007 with his family around him. The family included
daughters Anne Gunsolus and her husband Don and their four kids, Brandon, Dustin, Max and Isabelle. Also Maria Coombe and husband Scott, plus grandkids Alyssa and Lauren.
Internment was at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. The Army band was there, a bugler, and an honor guard, all in full dress uniform. Joe’s flag draped casket was mounted on a horse drawn caisson as the procession moved to the chapel and then to the gravesite. As the casket was being lowered, the Army band, in the background Army Blues aka Aura Lee or Love Me tender. The Army General, who escorted Lucille during the ceremonies, expressed his astonishment at the turnout to bid farewell to a fellow soldier. And Joe’s long time buddy Carl Jensen said lots of tears were shed that day. The men gathered around the gravesite were members of Joe’s Academy class of 1961 and men who served with him in Vietnam.
They were all there to honor a man who devoted his life to protecting his country and at the same time, his family and friends. Joe’s devotion to duty, love of country and love of those he gathered around him or who chose to be near him, was in large measure, instilled in him early on while he, along with the rest of us, attended classes at James Madison High School. And Joe’s life is also a testament to the education he got, that turned a young kid into a young man our nation can be proud of and who James Madison High School can be proud to call its own.
Most of us never had the chance to meet Joe but I am sure there is a bond between us now that stretches from our hearts, thru the halls of Madison, to Joe. Rest in peace, Colonel, we’ll see you later.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment