Colonel Paul Chmar

Highlands, NC - Colonel Paul Chmar, USA (ret), of Buck Creek Road, Highlands, NC, passed away Friday, Dec 27th, 2013, after 91 very rich and productive years. He was born and raised in Baltimore and Rockville, Maryland, a son of Samuel and Fannie Parkus Chmar. He was married to the late Jan Chambers Chmar, who passed away in 2000, and is survived by three sons, Col. Mark Chmar, USAF (ret), of Ashburn, VA, W. Tod Chmar, Esq., of Atlanta, GA, and Col. Andrew Chmar, USA (ret), of Cold Spring, NY, their wives Janet Chmar, Linda Chmar, and Gayle Watkins, five grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
Colonel Chmar first visited Highlands with his future wife Jan in 1950, whom he met while stationed at Ft. Benning, GA, where she was visiting with the family of her aunt and uncle. After retiring from the Army in 1973, they moved to Highlands where they lived for the rest of their lives. For the next 35 years, Colonel Chmar was involved in real estate in both Highlands and Cashiers. He was, along with Jan, heavily involved in community activities, and also spent countless hours fulfilling his passions for tennis and bridge.

Colonel Chmar did not plan on a long army career. Rather, while growing up and attending the University of Maryland, he was focused on becoming a medical doctor. But he was in ROTC, and the country was engaged in World War II. After graduating a year early, in 1943, he immediately entered the Army as a 2nd Lt. In summer 1944, shortly after D Day, he went into France as a platoon leader along with the rest of the 80th (Blue Ridge) Division. The next eight months were spent in almost constant battle as he led his platoon, and later company, across northern France and into Germany during which he was both wounded by enemy fire and decorated for valor. In March, 1945, six weeks before the end of the war in Europe, then Captain Chmar was severely wounded when, serving as acting battalion commander during an advance on the town of Weiskirchen, he turned a German attack into an American ambush and single handedly attacked a machine gun that opened fire on his men. Despite a bullet through his lung, he continued to lead the advance on the town and was wounded again in the knee. It was two days, during which he was kept alive by a medic while continuing to command his battalion, before reinforcements arrived and he was able to be evacuated. As a result of his heroism, Captain Chmar was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest medal. During his entire combat tour, he was 22 years old.

Instead of resuming his original goal of medicine, Colonel Chmar spent the next 29 years serving as an army officer. After over a year of recovering from his wounds, his assignments included Poland, Korea, Germany, and Vietnam overseas; and in the US, Ft. Benning, Ft. Campbell, Ft. Leavenworth, Ft. Bragg, Washington, DC, and Ft. Bliss, from where he retired after 30 years service. Besides the Distinguished Service Cross, Colonel Chmar's decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, and four Purple Hearts.

A graveside service will be held Thursday, Jan 16th at 2:30pm at Highlands Memorial Park Cemetery, followed by a 3pm reception at Chestnut Hill of Highlands, 64 Clubhouse Trail, off of Buck Creek Rd. Memorials may be made toFour Seasons Hospice 171 Hospital Dr. JWB. Suite 600, Highlands, NC 28741 (http://www.fourseasonscfl.org/donate/), or Highlands Cashiers Land Trust, Post Office Box 1703, Highlands, NC 28741 (http://www.hicashlt.org/donate now/).

Bryant Grant Funeral Home, Franklin NC is in charge of local arrangements.
Online condolences are available by visiting bryantgrantfuneralhome.com or by email.