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Contact Info
Home Town Millsboro
Last Address Dunwoody, GA
Date of Passing Jan 04, 2009
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Hamblin was commissioned a second lieutenant upon completion of the ROTC program in 1943.
He served with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Europe in World War II and with the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C., from 1948 to 1957. He completed 105 parachute jumps during his career.
Hamblin was an infantry company commander in Korea in 1952.
He served as an adviser to the Republic of Vietnam Joint General Staff in Saigon in 1964. For his service, he was the first member of the U.S. Armed Forces awarded the Republic of Vietnam Army Distinguished Service medal, second class.
In 1965, he was adviser to the II Vietnam Army corps. He was wounded during a Viet Cong attack on the military installation at Pleiku in February 1965.
After 28 years of service, he retired in 1971. He was a training and safety consultant to automotive and heavy vehicle fleets and was formerly a member of the board of directors of the Georgia Motor Truck Association and the Georgia Safety Council.
Other Comments:
Colonel Hamblin was born on May 23, 1922, in Millsboro, Delaware, where he grew up. His parents were Joshua and Flossie Hamblin. Colonel Hamblin and his wife, Sylvia, have been residents of Dunwoody, Georgia, since June 1972.
Paul graduated from the University of Delaware in 1943 and in September of that same year he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.
He served his country with great distinction as a member of the U.S. Army for the next 28 years. Of particular note was his success in establishing standards par excellence in the area of military-civilian relationships.
His service included tours as an infantry officer during World War II in Europe, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War.
Colonel Hamblin was a highly decorated officer. His military decorations include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit (2d Award), the Bronze Star with "V" Device (2d Award), the Joint Services Commendation Medal, The Army Commendation Medal, The Air Medal, The Purple Heart with 4 Clusters, The Combat Infantryman's Badge, The Aircraft Crewman's Badge, The Master Parachutist's Badge, The Presidential Unit Citation and 7 Overseas bars, The American Campaign Medal, The European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, The World War II Victory Medal, The Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), National Defense Service Medal, The Korean Service Medal, The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 20 years Device and The United Nations Service Medal.
His decorations from foreign governments include The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Badge, The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Unit Citation Badge, The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and The Republic of Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Medal.
In a letter accompanying this latter award, General Nguyen wrote, “this medal is the highest, medal after the National Order of RVNAF and Colonel Hamblin is the sole and first American to receive the Distinguished Honor."
Survivors include loving wife, Sylvia Dutton Hamblin; son, Paul W. Hamblin II and his wife, Kitty, of Hudson; a grandson, Paul W. Hamblin III; and a brother, John Lee Hamblin, and his wife, Josephine, of Georgetown, Delaware.
Interment was on February 11, 2009, at 9 a.m. in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
WWII - European Theater of Operations/Normandy Campaign (1944)/Operation Overlord/D-Day Beach Landings - Operation Neptune
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
June / 1944
Description The Normandy landings (codenamed Operation Neptune) were the landing operations on 6 June 1944 (termed D-Day) of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The largest seaborne invasion in history, the operation began the invasion of German-occupied western Europe, led to the restoration of the French Republic, and contributed to an Allied victory in the war.
Planning for the operation began in 1943. In the months leading up to the invasion, the Allies conducted a substantial military deception, codenamed Operation Bodyguard, to mislead the Germans as to the date and location of the main Allied landings. The weather on D-Day was far from ideal, but postponing would have meant a delay of at least two weeks, as the invasion planners had requirements for the phase of the moon, the tides, and the time of day that meant only a few days in each month were deemed suitable. Hitler placed German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in command of German forces and of developing fortifications along the Atlantic Wall in anticipation of an Allied invasion.
The amphibious landings were preceded by extensive aerial and naval bombardment and an airborne assault—the landing of 24,000 British, US, and Canadian airborne troops shortly after midnight. Allied infantry and armoured divisions began landing on the coast of France starting at 06:30. The target 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast was divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beach. Strong winds blew the landing craft east of their intended positions, particularly at Utah and Omaha. The men landed under heavy fire from gun emplacements overlooking the beaches, and the shore was mined and covered with obstacles such as wooden stakes, metal tripods, and barbed wire, making the work of the beach clearing teams difficult and dangerous. Casualties were heaviest at Omaha, with its high cliffs. At Gold, Juno, and Sword, several fortified towns were cleared in house-to-house fighting, and two major gun emplacements at Gold were disabled using specialised tanks.
The Allies failed to achieve all of their goals on the first day. Carentan, St. Lô, and Bayeux remained in German hands, and Caen, a major objective, was not captured until 21 July. Only two of the beaches (Juno and Gold) were linked on the first day, and all five bridgeheads were not connected until 12 June. However, the operation gained a foothold that the Allies gradually expanded over the coming months. German casualties on D-Day were around 1,000 men. Allied casualties were at least 10,000, with 4,414 confirmed dead. Museums, memorials, and war cemeteries in the area host many visitors each year.