Services Will Be Conducted at 3 p. m. at Sharon Memorial Park.

   Military services will be conducted Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock at Sharon Memorial park for Pfc. Paul F. Burns, 29, son of Mr. and Mrs. P. F. Burns of 1104 West First street Pfc. Burns was killed in France July 15, 1944.
   Father Philip Tierney of St. Patrick's Catholic church and Rev. B Frank Vandell of North Charlotte Presbyterian church will officiate The body will remain at Crouch Funeral home until the time of the services Serving as active pallbearers will be Joe Smith, Jr , O. D Sims, William Roberts. Paul Haines, Rev. Fred Perry, and Henry Zeman.
   Honorary pallbearers will be John Newitt, Albert Bridges, Charlie Bridges, Joe Biggerstaff, Kinsh Biggerstaff, Neoman Akins, Dewey Akins, Harold Harkey, Harold Eatman, Dr. Robert Moore, Paul Younts, Otto Brown,. Walter Coyle, J. P. Proctor, Henry Cooke, H. G Jolly, Frank Jolly, Robert Elson, Roy Jones, George Jones, J. C Jones, Muriel Jones, James Jones, Alvin Breana, Floyd Osborne, J. O Perry, George Carey, Jr, Dr Charles B. Norris, Nash McKee, Kilso Martin, Paul Black, Fred Layne, Tom McConnell, all of Charlotte, Randolph Potts of Fort Mill, S. C, Frank Smith of Concord, John F. Jolly of Rock Hill, S. C, O T. Jolly and M C. Jolly of Washington, D C. R. B. Jenkins of Columbia, S. C , W. T. Jenkins of Anson, Ala, Tommy Searcy of Mooresville, Oscar Fairchild of Miami, Fla., Capt. Irvin Krolvic of Wilmington, Del, Lt. Floyd Olson and Lt. Howard Marx of Green Bay, Wise., Leonard Funk of Williamsburg, Pa., and Billy Osborne of Charlotte.
 EXTENSIVE SERVICE
   At the time of his death, Pfc Burns was attached to the 508th Parachute Regiment, 82nd Airborne division. He attended parochial schools here and in Wisconsin. Before entering the service, he was employed by Barnwell Brothers and was a member of St. Peter's Catholic church. While in service, he served with the Coast Artillery m the Canal Zone, with the Field Artillery at Fort Bragg, and then was transferred to the parachute battalion.
   Besides his parents, Pfc. Burns Is survived by his wife, Mrs. Lala Osborne Burns: two sons, Frank, III, and Paul, II; and a brother, Billy Burns, all of Charlotte.

[The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC, 17 Apr 1948, Sat, Page 12]

(courtesy of  Susan I. Grills)

Grave marker for Paul F. Burns in the Sharon Memorial Park, Charlotte (Mecklenburg county), North Carolina.Paul enlisted in the U.S. Army on 18 Aug 1942 at Camp Croft, SC. He volunteered for parachutist duty and was assigned to Company H, 508th PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) as it was forming at Camp Blanding, FL.

After completion of basic training he went through jump school at Fort Benning, GA and then moved to Camp Mackall, NC for advanced exercises and practice jumps.

On 28 Dec 1944 the 508th boarded the USAT James T. Parker and sailed to Belfast, Ireland, landing 12 days later. Following another three months of field exercises the regiment moved to Nottingham, England.

It was nearly three months later that Pfc Burns jumped into France on D-Day. Initially he was reported as MIA (Missing In Action) on 6 June 1944, D-Day. His status was changed to KIA (Killed In Action) on 15 July 1944 when his remains were recovered. In the absence of any witnesses, the date of recovery became the official date of death.

Paul was initially interred in the temporary cemetery, Blosville, France in Plot O, Row 4, Grave 72. In April 1948 Pfc Burns was laid to his final rest in Sharon Memorial Park, Charlotte, NC.

Pfc Burns was the son of Peter and Lillie Burns and he left a wife, Lola and two sons.