Paul M. Pumilia entered the U.S. Army Air Forces in June 1943 and completed his training at MacDill Air Field in Tampa, Florida. In June 1944, he was assigned to the European Theater of Operations (ETO), joining the Eighth Air Force, 401st Bomb Group, 614th Bombardment Squadron, based at Deenethorpe, England.

On his second mission, August 6, 1944, he served as Waist Gunner aboard B-17 #42-31369 “Round Tripper.” The aircraft was shot down over the Baltic Sea. Paul and the rest of the crew survived the crash but were captured at Warnemünde, Germany (referenced in Missing Air Crew Report 7887 and German Report KU-2689).

He was imprisoned at Stalag Luft IV and later transferred in March 1945 to Stalag 357, until being liberated on May 2, 1945. Paul returned to the United States aboard the USS Admiral W. S. Benson, arriving on June 12, 1945, and was honorably discharged on November 5, 1945.