Paul Jamison Neely was born on July 5, 1945, and attended Millville Senior High School in Cherry Hill, NJ. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Elwood W. Neely. Paul was a 1967 graduate of Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, where his interests included golf, football, baseball, skiing and music. Paul was president of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at Dickinson College. He was a close friend to all members of fraternity and many others at Dickinson. His friends collectively raised funds to endow the Paul Neely scholarship, which annually provides support for a Dickinson College student from South Jersey to attend the college. He was a Political Science graduate and served as a sophomore member of the Student Senate. He played three years on the Lacrosse team. After college, he joined the Humble Oil and Refining Co. and worked as a management trainee in Washington. Neely planned to return to the company after his tour of duty. He was drafted in November 1967.
Neely entered the US Army in 1967, while in Washington, DC, where he attained the rank of Sergeant (SGT/E5). He started his tour of duty on December 8, 1968.
On April 27, 1969, at the age of 23, Neely was killed in action in South Vietnam, Binh Long Province. He died from multiple fragmentation wounds. His parents and sister Meredith survived him. He is buried at Beverly National Cemetery.
Neely was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, the Air Medal, and the Vietnam Medal.
Sources: Elwood Neely (father), Bob Taylor (friend), Edward A. Polloway, Ed. D.
(friend), and NJVVMF.
12/17/2024
