Fojtik helped organize state air Guard

After serving and surviving 3 1/2 years as a World War II fighter pilot, Paul Fojtik helped establish both of the Wisconsin Air National Guard's flying units.

Fojtik died of cancer Feb. 13 in Las Vegas. He was 83.

"Col. Fojtik was one of the Wisconsin Air National Guard's pioneers," Brig. Gen. Al Wilkening, its commander, said in a statement. "In 1947, during the Wisconsin Air National Guard's earlier hours, Paul Fojtik and a handful of dynamic and visionary leaders built a brand-new organization from the ground up.

"The Wisconsin Air National Guard's pride, professionalism and record of performance can be directly traced back to Col. Fojtik. He made an indelible mark on the Wisconsin Air National Guard."

In 1994, in recognition of his contributions, Fojtik was inducted into the guard's Hall of Fame.

Fojtik was raised in Cudahy, attending Cudahy High School and then Marquette University as an engineering student. Early in 1941, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps. Under a fast-track program, he completed flight training in seven months, according to a brother, Fred Fojtik.

"When I was a kid, about 12 years old, I went down to see him get his wings," his brother said.

In October 1941, Fojtik was assigned to Wheeler Field in Hawaii, just a couple of months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He continued to serve in the Pacific theater, flying hundreds of missions.

Fojtik was seriously injured once, returning to duty, and survived two crashes.

He also made local headlines for one particularly close call.

"When anything less would have been fatal, Major Paul Fojtik of Cudahy made a perfect landing recently," declared one news story. "Dangling from one wing of his Thunderbird fighter plane was a 500- pound bomb, which he had been unable to release during a strafing and bombing attack over Japanese installations on Guam."

Fojtik "hazarded a landing," the article said. It was perfect, and he survived.

In another incident, despite running low on fuel, he protected a downed pilot until that pilot could be rescued from the Pacific Ocean. Fojtik received the Silver Star for that effort.

In 1947, civilian Fojtik was involved in the effort to organize the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

"He was so successful with establishing the Air National Guard in Milwaukee, he was asked to do the same thing in Madison at Truax Field," said Lt. Col. Tim Donovan of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

"So he organized both of the Wisconsin Air National Guard's flying units," Donovan said.

Fojtik was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, serving as a fighter squadron commander. Later assignments included representing the Air National Guard's interests at the Pentagon.

Over the years, Fojtik flew 23 types of military aircraft, including the Navy F-6 Hellcat, the Marines F-4U Corsair and the Navy F-4 Phantom.

"This is an incredible service record," Donovan said.

Col. Fojtik retired from military service in 1967. Civilian life included a long stint as a partner in a Yuma, Ariz., citrus ranch.

Survivors include his wife, Shirley; a sister, Margaret Hokow; brothers Fred, Joe and Charles, Rudy Vatter and William Vatter.
From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Tuesday, March 5, 2002

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