Omega Mu Veteran: Paul L. Stimpson

Our Omega Mu veteran-brothers who served in the military are cherished and constant fraternal friends, and we would like to say thank you for the steadfast, purposeful commitment you made to our nation to defend those four freedoms we all believe in: “Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.” For those brothers who were killed in defense of these freedoms, they will always occupy a consecrated place in our linked fraternal heart because they exemplify the idea of superlative commitment, strength, and fortitude for the good to the end itself. The greatness of their collective purpose and will, on our nation’s behalf, will never be forgotten. By their “clear-eyed faith and fearless heart,” these brothers have left us a fraternal legacy that echoes what we often say about Omega Mu Fijis: “Perseverance and determination are omnipotent.” Their code of integrity, courage, duty, responsibility, and self-sacrifice on behalf of our nation is a powerful legacy we can all be proud of as Omega Mu Fijis. ​

Whether it was at San Juan Hill, Santiago de Cuba, Chateau-Thierry, Verdun, El Guettar, Elba, Monte Della Vedetta, the Battle of the Bulge, Rabaul, Inchon, Pusan, Chosin Reservoir, Pork Chop Hill, Hue, Phu Cat, The Iron Triangle, Hamburger Hill, la Drang Valley, Khe Sanh, Rumaila,  Al-Batin, Medina Ridge, Kabul, Kandahar, our Omega Mu brothers have demonstrated devotion to duty in their defense of freedom and liberty. They are the stability of our nation, and we, the Omega Mu brotherhood, revere, honor, and salute their persevering and determined spirit within our great nation and our historic brotherhood. We will always be grateful for the military service of every Omega Mu veteran from the Spanish-American War to the present. Thank you.

Omega Mu Veteran
Paul L. Stimpson,
1964

Omega Mu Years

Military Career

Lieutenant Paul L. Stimpson was the Rotary Wing Aviation Unit Commander attached to the First Aviation Brigade, 145th Aviation Battalion, 12th Aviation Group, 118TH Assault Aviation Company in Vietnam.

Paul's United States Army Aviator Badge and ribbons

​First Lieutenant Paul Stimpson, first on the left.

118th on a mission.

118th chopper pilots in action. Note the unit insignia on the helicopter.

Paul died on April 22, 1967, Bien Hoa Province, South Vietnam. He crashed in a cemetery near Long Binh due to fuel starvation. Stuart W. Gerald, an Omega Mu brother who was serving in Vietnam at the same time, flew his helicopter over the cemetery were Paul died. His picture and comment about Paul and the crash are below. 

Stuart W. Gerald

"When I was a freshman rushing Fiji, Paul was a senior and one we were all so impressed with- given his good looks and great demeanor.  He always treated us little Zobies with respect.  He was the one who came to my dorm room late one night to inform me that I was a pledge! He was in ROTC, and we all knew his strong desire to fly when commissioned. He married a beautiful girl before going to chopper training. We learned of his death after flying many missions in one day, landing in a booby trapped LZ.  All of us in my pledge class were shocked and really saddened to lose this classy big Brother." Mike McInnis, '68

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“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)

Fraternally,
​Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge