Paul died July 31, 2004 at age 78. He served in the South Pacific and Europe with the Seabees during WWII. After the war, he joined the 82nd Airborne before going to the Cave Junction smokejumpers in 1951.

After he left smokejumping, Paul spent 50 years in forestry and retired as a foreman for the Department of Parks in New York City. He was also a former Captain for the Pocatello (NY) Fire Department and was instrumental in starting a judo camp for the YMCA that has been in operation for over 30 years.