John William Pauly

General, United States Air Force

General John W. Pauly, USAF (ret) passed away 4:00am, August 7th, 2013 at the Pikes Peak Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at Penrose-St. Francis Hospital in Colorado Springs. He was 90 years old.

General Pauly was born in Albany New York, in 1923. He graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Albany in 1940, and attended Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y., for two years before entering the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1942. He received a commission as a second lieutenant and a Bachelor of Science degree from the academy in June 1945. He also earned his pilot wings while attending the academy.

He was promoted to the grade of General on August 1, 1978 and was appointed Commander in Chief, United States Air Forces Europe, as well as Allied Air Forces in Central Europe commander. General Pauly retired from active duty on July 31, 1980.

His significant military decorations include two USAF Distinguished Service Medals, three Legion of Merit medals, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and five Air Medals.

Following his retirement from the USAF, in 1983 he accepted the position of CEO for Systems Control Technology of Palo Alto, California. He retired from that position and his second career in 1994.

Gen. Pauly was preceded in death by his wife Mary Frances Pauly and his second wife Lois Rutledge Pauly. He is survived by his children with Mary Frances; John W. Pauly, Jr., Richard Pauly , Kathleen Donley, Joanne Bolt, and Karen Cooper and his grandchildren; Jamie Bolt, Alex Bolt, Taylor Anne Pauly, and Jessica Cooper. Funeral services and interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be announced.