Obituary of Paul Wignall

PAUL R. WIGNALL, Colonel USAF Retired, 90, of Cocoa Beach, Florida died Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at William Childs Hospice House in Palm Bay, Florida. Born in Bryan, Texas; Paul was reared in Port Arthur, Texas, by his parents C. L. (Roy) and Adele Wignall. He is survived by cousins Mr. Raymond Fitch, Williamsburg, VA, Mrs. Sidney Darlington, Exeter, NH, and Mrs. Roger Hancock Storrs, CT. Graduating from Texas A & M College in 1941 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he immediately entered the Army, received flight training and was assigned to a fighter bomber training unit. In early 1943 he took command of such a unit. Later he was assigned to organize, train, and deploy a squadron to fly the long range version of the P-47 Thunderbolt in the Pacific theater. As the war neared its end, his squadron was flying bombing and strafing missions against Japan from Iwo Jima. After the war was over, he received a commission in the newly formed Air Force, and received a number of research and development and educational assignments earning Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, and Bioradiology, University of California. Thereafter he commanded units participating in atomic and hydrogen bomb testing in Nevada, Eniwetok-Bikini, and Christmas Islands. In 1960 he was assigned as Commander 6555th Aerospace Test Wing conducting tests of missile and test vehicles from Cape Canaveral. After retirement in 1962, he became an instructor at the newly formed Brevard Junior College, later Brevard Community College. He retired in 1984 as Chairman of the Cocoa Campus Mathematics, Science, and Engineering Technology Division. Immediately he began volunteer work with Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice and shortly thereafter with Cape Canaveral Hospital that he continued until his death. He was an active member of St. David's by the Sea Episcopal Church, Cocoa Beach, Florida, where he held several elected or appointed positions. A memorial service will be held at the church, 600 Fourth Street South, Cocoa Beach at 10:00am Saturday, February 28, 2009. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are suggested to that church or a charity of one's choice.