Captain Paul E. Pugh was born in the State of Oklahoma on 11 August 1918, the son of Mr. & Mrs. Ollie Pugh. He attended schools in Whittier, California, and in 1940, received his B.S. degree from the University of California, where he was a member of the varsity football and baseball teams.

In February 1941, after graduating from the University, Captain Pugh enlisted in the United States Navy. Upon completion of flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas, on 1 October 1941, he was commissioned an Ensign and designated a Naval Aviator.

His first operational assignment was with Fighter Squadron Thirty-Four (VF-34), flying F6F Hellcats in the Solomon Islands. While in VF-34, Captain Pugh (then Ensign) participated in the battles of Bougainville and Raual.

His next duty was with Fighter Squadron Two (VF-2) during the years 1944 and 1945. Stats and reported for duty with the Armament Test Section of the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. While there, he attended the first Naval Air Pilot School.

His next assignment, in 1949, was with Air Development Squadron Three. During this tour, Captain Pugh was the F2H Project Officer.

During the Korean War, Captain Pugh served as Group Combat Operations Officer, Commanding Officer of the 334th Fighter Squadron, and Commanding Officer of the Fourth Fighter-Interceptor Combat Orientation Detachment with the Fourth Fighter-Interceptor Group, U.S.A.F. Captain Pugh was the first United Nations pilot to shoot down two MIG-15's.

Another tour with the Naval Air Test Center in 1953 as Head, Fighter Brach, and study at the Naval War College in 1954, preceeded his assuning command of Carrier Air Group 21 in 1957. These tours involved WestPac deployments, first aboard the USS BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31) and then aboard the USS LEXINGTON (CVS-16).

Shifting to the Sixth Fleet in 1959, Captain Pugh became Operations Officer on the staff of Commander Carrier Division Four, which operated aboard the USS FORESTAL (CVA-59).

This duty was followed by a tour with the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) in Washington. Following his assignment with OPNAV, Captain Pugh attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces In 1962.

Orders were then received to report to the staff of Commander Sixth Fleet, where he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations from June 1963 until March 1965.

On 1 June 1965, Captain Pugh assumed command of the USS ELDORADO (AGC-11). The ELDORADO served as Flagship for Commander Amphibious Forces Seventh Fleet and participated in a number of amphibious assaults in Vietnam.

After a brief tour with Commander Naval Air Forces, Pacific, Captain Pugh assumed command of the USS KITTY HAWK (CVA-63) on 18 July 1966, becoming KITTY HAWK's sixth Commanding Officer.

Captain Pugh is married to the former Clarine Coppock of Whittier, California. Along with their three children, Paul Jr., Nancy, and Mark, the Pugh's reside at 912 Alameda Blvd., Coronado, California.