PAUL GRISHAM

Retired Veteran who had his wallet returned which he had lost in Antarctica 53 years prior while in service as a Navy Lieutenant Meteorologist.

The story which hit on Feb, 6th, 2021, has made nearly every major news show, newspaper and magazine in America, and is starting to make it’s way around the globe.



In this day and age, we not only need a story like this to warm our hearts, but it also couldn’t have happened to a nicer man, who together with his wife Carole, have graciously said yes, to the major hourly attention from reporters.

We at The LIFE CHANGES Show are happy to say, our interview with Paul is different than all the rest, not the least of which is because our host, Filippo, and Paul’s son David have been friends since childhood.

TIMELINE

1947 –  Graduated from Douglas HS, Douglas AZ

1948 –  Worked for Southern Pacific RR in El Paso TX (clerk in freight yards)

1948 – Enlisted in USN – Boot camp at  Naval Training Center, San Diego

1949 – School in Corpus Christi  1-month

             School in Memphis 1- month (Indoctrination into aviation schools)

             AG A-school in Lakehurst, NJ 6-month (Weather Technician school)

             Fleet Weather Central, San Francisco   (Forecast Center)

1950 – NAS Alameda

1950 – Fleet Weather Central, Guam

1952 – Discharged

             Fullerton Junior College 2-years (AA degree)

1957 – Reenlisted in USN

             USS Bennington, CVA-20 – 4 years

1959 – Married Wilma Oretta Green

1960 – NAF Monterey

1961 – Birth of daughter, Michele Marie

1962 – AG B- school in Lakehurst, NJ (Enlisted Forecasters’ school)

             FWC Pearl Harbor

1964 – Birth of son, David Arthur

1965 – Promotion to Chief Petty Officer

             Advanced to Ensign, LDO (T)

             Officer’s Indoctrination School in Pensacola FL

             NAS Alameda

1967 – Promoted to LT(jg)

1967 – “Operation Deep Freeze” on THE ICE

1968 – Promoted to LT while in Antarctica

             NAS North Island, San Diego CA

1970  – Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey

1971 – BS Engineering Science

1973 – MS Meteorology

             USS Hancock, CVA-19

1975 – Witnessed “Operation Frequent Wind” (evacuation of Saigon)

             FNWC Monterey (1st weather computer facility in the world)

1977 – Retired as LT

             Employed by Monterey Savings and Loan as real property appraiser

1981 – Established Grisham Appraisal Service

2000 – My wife Wilma passed due to Kuf’s Disease stroke

2001 – Met Martha Carole Salazar in Paris, France

2003 – Married Carole in Mission San Diego – honeymooned in Paris

2021 – His wallet which he had lost 53 years prior in Antarctica, was returned…

Paul’s volunteer work over the years:

He volunteered for 20 years at Carmel Hospital  1980-2002

Mama’s Kitchen in San Diego  2002-2020  (staging meals for AIDS, heart disease, diabetes clients which are then delivered to their homes)

USS Midway Museum  2007-2020  Volunteer docent. Now awaiting the lift of the pandemic restrictions.

More about Paul and his story in the following short list of videos and article links: