- April 23, 2024
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Paul McCauley didn’t let a disability stop him from serving.
Paul McCauley may have lost in sight in the service, but not his passion to serve.
Joining the air force in 1960, McCauley eventually was stationed in England and assigned frequent eight hour flying missions. After too much flight time, his eyes imploded and he lost his sight. He was discharged in September of 1970.
“They told me go home and wait for a letter from the Veterans Administration,” McCauley said. “Now that’s a heck of a note isn’t it? So I went home and a couple months later I got a letter.”
After visiting the VA and their treatment facilities, McCauley was told that though he gained some vision back, he would be legally blind for the rest of his life. Despite his disability, he went on to finish college and work to help disabled veterans.
"Doors start opening for a disabled veteran who has control of himself," McCauley said. "I’ve lived a long life but I’ve never stopped working for veterans. Especially veterans with disabilities."
McCauley is currently involved in many veteran-based organizations, including the Memorial Remembrance Committee of Ormond Beach. He's been chairman since 2008 and helps the committee put on the Memorial Ceremony at Rockefeller Gardens every year.
"It's the largest Memorial Remembrance Service of it’s kind in the state of Florida," McCauley said. "We are remembering the more than 1,378,000 men and women in uniform that died for our nations freedom. That's a lot of people and we are still counting."
The one hour service will be held 9 a.m. May 26. McCauley asks that people come early to hear the Daytona Beach Concert Band.
McCauley will also soon be remembering the day he lost his eyesight, June 3, 1970.
"I always do something," McCauley said. "Have a drink of scotch or go out to dinner to celebrate. I’m a disabled veteran and I have a considerable empathy. I’ve seen them, I’ve worked with them in the hospital and in their homes. I know my own plight when I was out of the service.The empathy I have for veterans is in the heart and you can’t erase that."
