Paul was born in Kansas City, Missouri on Aug. 27, 1922 to Pauline and Wolff Rothband. He graduated from Southwest High School in 1939 in Kansas City, then attended Kemper Military School in Booneville, Missouri for two years, completing an Associate of Arts Degree in 1941. While attending Kemper, he was honored as a member of the Junior College Junior Class, a member of the Scholastic Honor Society, a member of the Varsity Track Team and Lettered in Company Tennis.