So, how does one go from being an Airman 1st Class in the U.S. Air Force to an Admiral? As you might suspect, it is a long journey full of many detours along the way. This is the story of Paul Donald Archinal who seemed to be destined for just such a journey. He was born to Henry and Florence Archinal in Lockland, Ohio on October 25, 1930. His father, a WWI veteran (he also had two uncles who fought in WWI), was a certified welder and helped build war materials for the Allied cause during WWII. Paul was interested in radio at an early age. He and his mother attended a live radio show when he was only nine years old. After the program, he told his mother, “That’s what I want to do for a living.” His mom said, “It’s the kind of thing you can do if you set your mind to it.” Attending Lockland High School where he played football and ran track, Paul graduated in 1949. His favorite classes were, of course, Speech and Drama, both of which would serve him well in later years.
After high school, Paul began classes at Ohio University. Paul had what’s called a “golden voice” which projects well on radio and television. However, Paul’s career trajectory was interrupted by the Korean War which broke out in June of 1950. He joined the Air Force in 1951 to “keep from being drafted and I wanted to fly”, noted Paul. Paul was told he was color blind and he could not be a pilot. He was assigned to the OSI (Office of Special Investigations). Once again, this seemed to be the perfect assignment for Paul. He said he “was sent undercover a lot and could easily become an enlisted man or an officer.” He was still acting in a manner of speaking and said he could “always talk easily to anyone.”
In 1952, Paul met his future wife Swan Hagler who was in nurses training in Houston. Paul said, “A friend of mine introduced us. I was stationed at Ellington Air Force Base at the time. We were married on October 4, 1952. Swan, from Midland, Texas, was 19 and Paul was 21. Swan recalled, “He met me at 1st Baptist Church in Houston. I was in nursing school there. Our first date was on a Saturday night at the movies. Sunday we sat together in church and went out to eat. He came into town Monday night, Tuesday night, and on Wednesday night before church he proposed!" After the service, Paul and Swan moved to Cincinnati where he got a job as a producer/director at WLW. Swan noted that, “It was an honor to be fired from that station. A lot of people became famous after they left that station.” For example, Paul met comedian Red Skelton who was fired from the station while he was there. Paul and Swan went to homecoming at Ohio University and went by his old rooming house. He’s landlady had some mail for him. He smiled and said, “One of them was a letter from the government saying I had a college deferment. It turns out I didn’t need to go in the service after all!” Paul was offered a job at television station KMID in Midland, then after brief stints in Harlingen and Beaumont, he landed a job as a weatherman at KOSA in Odessa, Texas. He had been trained as a certified meteorologist in Harlingen, Texas.
Paul recalled hearing foghorns on Lake Erie, which was only a block from his house in Cleveland, and developed a children’s show that he called Admiral Foghorn which aired in Odessa, Texas. A contest was held to name his ship and the winning entry was the High ‘N Dry. He said that name made sense, “West Texas is High and Dry!” He would dress up as an Admiral and let the kids come up and “ring the ship’s bell for their birthday.” The show in Lubbock featured an artist called Salty Sam (real name Lucio Orosco) and would go on to be the longest running children’s TV show in Texas television history – 15 years. Paul noted with pride that, “People still come up to me to this day and say they remember me from that show. I’m very proud of that.” Paul and family moved to Lubbock in 1971 where he became a sales manager for KSEL TV and did a radio show with Bill McAlister. In later years, Paul went into the real estate business and worked for several agencies in Lubbock. Paul’s love for radio work continued as he was the announcer for the Goin’ Band from Raiderland from 1987 to 2007.
Paul and Swan moved back to Lubbock in 2010. Swan said that they ”Lived out on Oak Creek Lake, six miles from Blackwell, Texas for several years. The kids said that we were getting old and should move back to town, so we moved to Lubbock in 2010.” After 66+ years, 7 children (daughter Cheryl passed away at age 10 from hepatitis), 14 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren and several careers including broadcasting, they moved to Ventura Place in Lubbock in 2016. Paul is now on hospice care and both he and Swan are huge fans of their hospice nurse, Kayla. Volunteers from the hospice sit with Paul so Swan can go to the store with other residents. Paul and Swan speak fondly of the numerous Kindred Hospice Veteran Volunteers, participate in Pet Therapy, and enjoy Music Volunteers who entertain and socialize with them. Two of their Veteran Volunteers are Air Force Crew Chief Welby Smith and Brigadier General Gary G. Harber. Paul Archinal has received many awards during his career, but when asked what he liked to be remembered for, he said, “My work with children as Admiral Foghorn.”
Respectfully submitted by
Katherine McLamore and Larry A. Williams Veteran Liaison Co-Chairs
Texas South Plains Honor Flight
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