LENT PAUL EDWARD

LTC Paul "Bimbo" Edward Lent was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 05/16/2016 at the age of 69.3
Adkins, TX
Flight Classes 68-21 and 68-29
Date of Birth 01/16/1947
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with 176 AHC in 69-70, ACT 11 ACR in 71-72, D/229 AHB in 1972, F/9 CAV in 72-73
Call signs in Vietnam MUSKET 37, RED 9, SMILING TIGER 39, FLASHING SABRE 26
This information was provided by Bruce G. McKenty

More detail on this person: Paul Lent passed away May 16, 2016 at his home in Adkins, TX. Paul was born January 16, 1947 in Cooperstown, New York. He grew up in Richfield Springs, New York. He graduated from Richfield Springs High School in 1965 where he excelled in football and other sports. He went on to Oswego University for a couple of years, was a member of the Delta Kappa Kappa fraternity, the swim team and private flying club. His desire to fly overcame him and he decided to join the Army and apply for flight school.

He joined the Army in September 1967 during the height of Vietnam and was accepted for Warrant Officer Candidate School to become an Army aviator. Upon graduation, he received an AH-1G Cobra transition in route to Vietnam. He spent the next two and a half years flying cobras with the 176th AHC (69-70), ACT 11th ACR (71-72), D 229 AHB (72), and F Troop 9th CAV (72-73). During his extended tour he was awarded a direct commission to 1LT as an Armor Officer and promoted to Captain before his return to CONUS.

Paul's military education began with flight school in 1968 at Fort Wolters, Texas and Ft Rucker, Alabama with a transition into Cobra helicopters at Hunter Army Airfield. He is also a graduate of the Armor Officer Advance Course and the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His civilian education includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Troy State University in 1975, a Master Science and System Management from the University of Southern California in 1980, and a Master of Arts degree in Management Information Systems in 1988 from Webster University.

Paul retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 22 years in the Army serving in various command and staff positions throughout the Continental United States, Alaska, and Southeast Asia. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross w/ 3OLC, the Bronze Star w/ 2OLC, the Meritorious Service Medal w/ 2OLC, the Air Medal w/ 77 OLC, 5 w/ V Device, and the Army Commendation Medal w/ 3OLC.

After retirement in 1990 Paul began his civilian career with Veco, Incorporated in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska where he dealt with oil field material management. From 1991 - 1993 he worked as Director for Spectrum Management Group and MIS Operations and Business in San Antonio, Texas. From 1993 to 1994 he was the Manager for Business Development for Dakota Technologies Group in San Antonio, Texas. In 1994 he began his overseas assignments with Vinnell/Arabia Corporation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia until 2004. In 2005 he worked as Manager and then Director with CSA/ISD in Kuwait until 2008. He was accompanied by his wife Rosemarie throughout his military and civilian career.

Paul is survived by his lovely wife of 43 years Rosemarie, their three sons Christopher Paul, Alexander Andrew, Robert Andreas, grandchildren and extended family in upstate New York and Germany. Paul will be remembered by many of his friends and comrades from Vietnam as "Bimbo." He will be sorely missed.

This information was last updated 07/28/2016

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024


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