Paul Boesch
| Paul Boesch | |||||||||
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| Born |
October 12, 1912 Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S. |
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| Died | March 7, 1989 (aged 76) Sugar Land, Texas, U.S. |
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| Military career | |||||||||
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
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| Service/branch |
 United States Army
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| Years of service | 1942-1945 | ||||||||
| Battles/wars |
World War II Battle of Hürtgen Forest |
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| Awards |
 Combat Infantry Badge Silver Star and cluster Bronze Star Medal and cluster Purple Heart Medal Distinguished Unit Citation Croix de guerre with star (France) |
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| Other work | Professional wrestler, professional wrestling announcer and promoter | ||||||||
| Paul Boesch | |
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| Professional wrestling career | |
| Debut | 1938 (as wrestler) 1947 (as announcer) 1966 (as promoter) |
| Retired | 1987 |
Paul Max Boesch (October 2, 1912 – March 7, 1989) was a professional wrestling promoter most famous for his work as an announcer and promoter for Houston Wrestling. He also spent several stints working with the Universal Wrestling Federation, World Class Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions, and the World Wrestling Federation.
Boesch was born in Brooklyn, New York, on October 2, 1912. His family eventually moved from Brooklyn to nearby Long Beach, where Boesch graduated from Long Beach High School in 1929. A gifted athlete, he became a lifeguard at the Long Island beaches near his home, and he was skilled enough as a swimmer to place third in the North Atlantic Coast Lifeguard Competition in 1932. Boesch began wrestling professionally during the 1930s. His first notable match was a 90-minute bout against Pat Meehan in Calgary on November 25, 1938 that ended in a draw.
With the outbreak of World War II, Boesch suspended his wrestling career to enlist in the United States Army. He graduated from officer candidate school in 1942 and earned a commission in the 121st Infantry Regiment of the 8th Infantry Division. Boesch deployed to Europe with his unit after the D-Day landings to take part in the offensive against Nazi Germany. As commanding officer of Company G, 1st Lt. Boesch led his rifle company in one of the bloodiest and most desperate battles of the war on the Western Front, the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. His unit took heavy casualties during the fighting, and Boesch himself was seriously injured by a German artillery shell. For his service, Boesch was awarded numerous decorations, including the Purple Heart, the Silver Star with oak leaf clusters, the Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters, and the French Croix de Guerre with star. He also earned the prized Combat Infantryman Badge and the Distinguished Unit Citation, awarded to the soldiers of the 121st Infantry for their meritorious efforts in the Hürtgen Forest. After the war, he was honored with a Distinguished Citizens Award from the 121st Infantry Association for his outstanding community service with charitable groups including the Boys Club of America. Boesch authored a well-regarded memoir of his experiences in World War II entitled, Road to Huertgen: Forest in Hell.
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Wikipedia