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Paul Purnell Collection 1 McLean County Museum of History Paul Purnell Collection Table of Contents Life Timeline Biography Collection Condition Folder List from Photograph Boxes Box and Folder Inventory – Documents Box and Folder Inventory – Photographs Processed by: Jameson Boston Spring 2005 Collection Information VOLUME OF COLLECTION: Four boxes (including three boxes of photographs). COLLECTION DATES: 1918-2003. PROVENANCE: Gift. RESTRICTIONS: None. REPRODUCTION RIGHTS: Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained in writing from the McLean County Museum of History. ALTERNATIVE FORMATS: None. OTHER FINDING AIDS: None. LOCATION: Archives. NOTES: None. Paul Purnell Collection 2 Archives Collection McLean County Museum of History McLean County, Illinois Paul Purnell Life Timeline Childhood 3/31/1939 – Purnell is born and raised in Momence, IL (in Kankakee Co.) 9/1945-6/1946 – Attended Momence Grade School 9/1946-6/1947 – Had moved with his family and attended Grant Park Grade School in Grant Park, IL 1947 – Moved with family to Normal 9/1947-6/1953 – Attended the Illinois Soldier’s and Sailor’s Children’s School in Normal 9/1953-6/1957 – Attended University High School in Normal while living at 400 E. Lincoln 6/1957 – Graduated from University High 9/1957-3/1959 – Attended Illinois State Normal University as a History Major while living at 304 N. School Street and at the YMCA on Washington St. in Bloomington Military 3/1959 – Joined up with the Marine Corps 3/1959-6/1959 – Lived and trained at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, CA 8/1959-5/1960 – Trained at NAVCOMMTRACEN in Imperial Beach, CA to become a communications man 6/1960-11/1962 – Duty in San Miguel, Philippines 1/1962-5/1962 – Temporary Duty in Pleiku, Vietnam 12/1962-5/1963 – A student at NAVCOMMTRACEN in Pensacola, FL 6/1963-6/1965 – Duty with the 1st Radio Battalion in Hawaii 11/1963-12/1963 – Temporary Duty in Fuchu, Japan 5/1964-9/1964 – Temporary Duty in Khe Sahn, Vietnam 6/1965-5/1967 – Duty in Kamiseya, Japan 9/1966-10/1966 – Temporary Duty in the Philippines 5/1967 – Student at Sea Survival School in Numazu, Japan 6/1967-7/1967 – Student at School for Instructors in Norfolk, VA 7/1967-1/1970 – An instructor at NAVCOMMTRACENTER in Pensacola, FL 1969 – Attended classes at Pensacola Junior College 2/1970-6/1971 – Duty in Phu Bai, Vietnam 6/1971-8/1972 – Duty at Marine Corps Development Center in Quantico, VA, at 2nd Radio at Camp Lejeune, NC, and at Craig Manufacturing at Lawrence, MA 8/1972-6/1974 – Attended Illinois State University in the Armed Forces Program and earned his Bachelor of Science in Social Science 6/1974-12/1977 – Duty with the 2nd Radio in Camp Lejeune, NC Paul Purnell Collection 3 5/1974-8/1974 – Duty with Army Security in Ft. Devens, MA, along with temporary duty in Cherry Point, NC and with a Teamwork/Bonded Item duty in Europe 12/1977-9/1978 – Duty with the 2nd Marine Division in Camp Lejeune, NC 9/30/1978 – Left the Marine Corps for the Marine Corps Reserve Post Military 12/1978-9/1980 – Worked as a route man and inventory clerk at ISU 9/1980-6/1982 – Earned 2nd Bachelor of Science degree at ISU 1983 – Earned his Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice 1983-1985 – Worked as an inmate counselor at the McLean County Jail 1985-c. 1991 – Worked as Court Services officer in Mclean County 1987 – Suffered a severe heart attack 1996 – Underwent a kidney transplant 1998 – Diagnosed with skin cancer 6/29/2003 – Passed away in Normal at the age of 64 Paul Purnell March 31, 1939 – June 29, 2003 Biography Paul Purnell was born on March 31, 1939 in Momence, IL. He was the son of Dewey M. and Maude (Gribbin) Purnell. Paul was the youngest of six children, the oldest of which was sixteen years the elder of Paul. Naomi, Dewey Jr., Leona, Edmund, and Grace were Paul’s siblings. The Purnell family owned a grocery store in Momence, where Purnell spent his first year of public school. At some point circa 1946, Paul’s parents separated, and Paul, along with his older sister Grace, moved around with his mother to Grant Park and then to Normal. Here Paul and Grace attended the Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s School (ISSCS) in Normal, except for living for a short while in Bradley, Illinois for the 1949-1950 school year. Paul was active in the Boy Scouts from 1950 to 1953 while at ISSCS. Purnell graduated from the children’s school in spring of 1953. Paul attended University High School in Normal after this, which is where most of the students from ISSCS were sent. Paul was very active in the different activities that U-High offered. He was a two year starter at offensive guard and a one-year starter at linebacker on the school’s football team. His senior year, Paul was named captain of the football team. That season, Purnell earned spots on all-city and all-conference teams. In addition to his football proficiency, Purnell was captain of the school’s wrestling team and was the catcher for U-High’s baseball team. Paul was popular at U-High, and was even crowned the homecoming king. After graduating from U-High, Paul attended Illinois State Normal University as a History major for a few semesters. At ISNU, Purnell was a member of the wrestling team and also was a member of the Gamma Phi circus, in which he participated as a gymnast. 1959 was an important year for Paul. His sister Grace, to whom he was very close, passed away at some point that year. Also, this was the year that Paul decided to leave ISNU and Normal and to join the Marine Corps. His family possessed a rich history as far as military service went. His father, Dewey Sr., was in the infantry in World War I. Dewey Sr. was involved in four major engagements in the war and also earned a silver star for gallantry in action. Dewey Paul Purnell Collection 4 Jr., Paul’s oldest brother, participated in World War II in the Medical Corps. Edmund, Paul’s other brother, was in the Air Force during both World War II and the Korean War. Here, Edmund won such honors as the Germany Medal of Occupation and the Defense Service Medal. One of the most touching photographs from the collection features a young Paul at ISSCS, greeting Edmund while his brother was home on leave. Both of these aspects probably affected Purnell’s decision to join the military, where he went on to have perhaps a more illustrious career than any of the other members of his family had. In March of 1959, Purnell went to San Diego, California for training. At some point during his training, Paul decided to become or was asked to become an intelligence and communications specialist. Purnell went to Imperial Beach, California to receive the training necessary for intelligence work at NAVCOMMTRACENTER. When his training was finished in June of 1960, Purnell was sent off to the Philippines, where he probably did some routine intelligence work or became more familiar with equipment or methods in communications. By 1962, the United States was becoming more and more involved in the conflict in Vietnam. In January, as part of the 1st Composite Radio Company, Paul served near Pleiku, Vietnam. Pleiku is located in central Vietnam near Cambodia. The 1st Composite Radio was the first Marine cryptologic detachment to be involved in Vietnam. His work in cryptology made the possibility that he was involved in the actual fighting doubtful. Paul remained stationed in Pleiku for five months, after which time he returned to the Philippines. By December of 1962, Paul was reassigned to Pensacola, Florida for more intelligence training. From June of 1963 until June of 1965, Purnell was assigned to duty with the 1st Radio in Hawaii. In 1963, Paul saw temporary duty in Fuchu, Japan, where he was able to go sightseeing at Mount Fuji and in Tokyo. Paul also was sent back to Vietnam in 1964 at Khe Sahn, which is more north in Vietnam than Pleiku. He served with communications in Khe Sahn for four months. After his duty in Hawaii was finished, Purnell was assigned to Kamiseya, Japan, where he was to work on communications for U.S. military ships on the seas in Southeast Asia. Paul worked in Japan from June of 1965 until May of 1967. After his stint in Kamiseya was finished, Purnell was sent to Norfolk, Virginia in order to receive training necessary for becoming a communications instructor. After his training in Virginia was completed, Purnell was assigned as an instructor in Pensacola, Florida, where he taught from June of 1967 until January of 1970. The photo collection for Purnell includes many class pictures from Pensacola of the intelligence students who Purnell trained. From his time in Pensacola, Paul seemed to develop his interests of collecting seashells and caring for poodle dogs, both of which can be seen in photographs from the collection. During his stay in Pensacola, Purnell returned, at least part-time, to college. He attended classes at Pensacola Junior College in 1969. Paul left Pensacola in January of 1970 because he was sent, for the third and final time, to Vietnam. Purnell was assigned near Phu Bai, which is about the same latitude as Khe Sahn but is located on the coast of the South China Sea. One of the documents from his intelligence work in Phu Bai that stands out is the administrative order by a general to keep Purnell away from even a remote threat of capture.

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