Captain Paul A. Polski

Captain Paul A. Polski, USN (Ret.) died on December 31, 2021. He was 87 years old. Paul is survived by Barbara, his loving wife of 62 years, their children David, Lori, and Douglas and six grandchildren.

Paul hailed from Northern Minnesota. He graduated from Eveleth High School in 1952. Paul served two years in the Army National Guard while attending Mesabi College where he graduated with A.S. Degrees in Physics and Math. Paul went on to attend the US Naval Academy where he sang in the Catholic Choir and Glee Club. He was an All-American pistol team athlete and was elected Captain his senior year. Paul graduated from the USNA in 1958 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He completed Flight School and was designated a Naval Aviator on March 17, 1960.

Paul began flying in F-8 fighters with VF-174 and VF-11. He was selected for training at Great Britain's Empire Test Pilot School at Farnborough, Hampshire, England. His payback tours involved aircraft and weapons systems flight test at the Pacific Missile Test Center Pt. Mugu, California, and Naval Air Test Center (NATC), Patuxent River, Maryland. Those shore duties were separated by Attack tours flying A-7 Corsairs with VA-174 and VA-86, including 96 combat missions over Vietnam. While at NATC, he was recruited into the Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer pipeline. Paul's adroit managerial/leadership skills lead to assignments including standing up of the first Tomahawk Cruise Missile Desk, the F/A-18 Hornet Desk, and the Navy Undergraduate Jet Flight Training System (VT45TS), a new cost-effective carrier-based trainer/system for future naval aviators. His 27 year career spanned over 6,000 flight hours, 580 arrested carrier landings, and over 40 aircraft types. Individual accolades included a Legion of Merit, nine Strike/flight Air medals, and multiple Navy Commendation, Vietnam Campaign, and Achievement medals. Paul also earned an M.S. Management Engineering degree at George Washington University 1971 and completed Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) 1981.

Paul retired from the United States Navy in 1985.

After a brief period as a Senior Associate Government Contractor with Booz, Allen& Hamilton, Paul launched a 23 year Civil Service career. He was recruited by the Federal Aviation Administration to lead Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Programs in New Jersey. He was appointed to Senior Executive Service in 1991, directed over forty major security system projects, with SES promotions to Senior Advisor to the Chief Technology Officer of the Transportation Security Administration. Paul was awarded the 2003 Service to America Medal, Homeland Security Category, for directing development of aviation security technology used to combat terrorism. Paul retired once again in 2011.

Visitation will be held at Colonial Funeral Home in Leesburg, VA on May 16, 2022 from 6-8 pm. Final interment is scheduled for May 17, 2022 at Arlington National Cemetery beginning with a service at Ft. Myer's Old Post Chapel at 10:45AM. Reception to follow at Patton Hall (Ft. Myer Officers' Club). Reception to follow at Patton Hall (Ft. Myer Officers' Club). If you plan to attend the reception, please email RSVP.Polski@gmail.com by May 8th with the total number of people in your party. Essential information about requesting Visitor Access will be emailed to you.

The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider donating to The Alzheimer's Association or Cancer Research Institute in Paul's name.