PASCHAL-ARCHIE

EARLY  MARINE  CORPS  ENLISTED  PILOT

Archie Lane Paschal was born December 1, 1889, in Glendon, North Carolina.  Readily available historical records indicate he may have been raised on a farm.  He joined the Marine Corps in 1909.  Records report he served in France for two years during World War One.  Records do not identify his unit assignment but consistently report he was the second Marine to fly over German lines during the war.  Records confirm that on September 14, 1923, Paschal completed flight training, was designated Naval Aviator #3105, and Marine Corps Enlisted Pilot #6.  At this time he held the rank of gunnery sergeant.

During early 1926, civil war broke out in Nicaragua and U.S. military forces were sent to the area for the protection of American citizens and interests.  Paschal was then a Master Technical Sergeant and was one of the Marine Corps forces sent to the area for what became known as the Second Nicaraguan Campaign.  During his service in Nicaragua he distinguished himself and was awarded the Navy Cross for his service there.

Paschal retired in December 1929 with the rank of master sergeant after 20-years of service, having accumulated 2,300 flight hours in Europe, the Caribbean, and Central America.  Soon after retirement, Paschal was hired by Pan American Airways and by 1933 was a senior pilot based in Brownsville, Texas, flying the company’s Central America routes as he had become proficient in speaking Spanish.  On March 31, 1931, a devastating earthquake in Nicaragua killed over 2000 people.  In response to the tragedy, Paschal flew 13 relief trips during three days bringing medicine, food, doctors, nurses, and supplies in and out of the U.S. Marine compound in Corinto, Nicaragua.  He received a personal congratulatory letter from Juan Trippe, President/Founder of Pan American Airways for his dedicated service.

On October 10, 1936, Paschal was delivering an unoccupied Douglas DC-2 (NC14273) transport plane to Guatemala and unfortunately he encountered adverse weather.  His flights in South America frequently required “blind flying” because of the weather and this flight was no exception.  As the plane approached Guatemala City it struck a mountain northeast of the city, killing Paschal and his two cockpit companions.  Paschal was laid to final rest at Arlington National Cemetery on June 18, 1937, survived by his wife and four children.

NAVY  CROSS  CITATION

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Master Technical Sergeant Archie Paschal (MCSN: 169886), United States Marine Corps, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as an Airplane Pilot attached to the 2d Brigade, U.S. Marine Corps, operating in the Republic of Nicaragua.  During 1040 hours of flying over mountainous and partly unexplored jungle, Sergeant Paschal displayed great courage and skill in attacks on hostile bandit forces, and in flights through dangerous weather for the purpose of locating and supporting ground patrols.  During this service he carried, without mishap, approximately 1700 passengers and 840,000 pounds of freight over terrain where a forced landing would, almost inevitably, have resulted in fatalities.

                 

                               IN  PAN  AMERICAN  AIRWAYS  UNIFORM

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)