Obituary: Paul Munger

Paul Munger

Paul Munger

July 9, 1919 - May 28, 2010

Paul Munger was born in Los Angeles and raised in Portland, Ore.

At 16, he enlisted in the Idaho National Guard, 116th Horse Cavalry. After the war was declared, he volunteered for Aviation Cadets and graduated in 1943 from pilot training as a Second Lieutenant. He joined the 474th Fighter Group in England flying P-38s. He flew 74 combat missions of high-altitude escort, dive-bombing and strafing. On D-Day he flew out of Wormwell, England, to destroy bridges behind the lines that German tanks would use to reinforce the beach. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and other decorations. In 1947 Captain Munger was assigned to the 51st Fighter Group at Naha, Okinawa, flying the first operational jet fighter in the Air Force, the P-80 "Shooting Star." He returned to the States and assignments in the Training Command at Scott AFB in Illinois, Williams AFB in Arizona and Foster AFB in Texas. He received reassignment to Portland on a compassionate transfer when his wife Joan became sick and died. He was then transferred to Ladd AFB in Fairbanks, Alaska, flying the all-weather interceptor F-89 Scorpion, the first American jet fighter to carry a nuclear weapon. While there, he met and married an Air Force Captain and RN June Freedman. Paul and June were married for 37 years, until her passing. His last assignment was Moody AFB in Georgia flying F-86 Sabre Jets. He retired as a Lt. Colonel with 22 years active service.

Paul and June moved to Scottsdale, Ariz., where he became the airport manager of Falcon Field in Mesa for six and a half years. He then moved to Prescott in 1970 and was airport manager for five and a half years. Paul and June went into real estate in 1980 and he was associated with Springer Realty until retiring in 1990.

Paul Munger is survived by his two children from first wife Joan, daughter Sydney Munger in Phoenix and son Buck Munger in Portland, Ore.

Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home assisted the family with final arrangements.

Information provided by survivors.


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