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Personal info

Full name
PARKER, James Earl
Date of birth
26 December 1919
Age
24
Place of birth
Oates, Reynolds County, Missouri
Hometown
Reynolds County, Missouri

Military service

Service number
37402639
Rank
Staff Sergeant
Function
Right Waist Gunner
Unit
728th Bombardment Squadron,
452nd Bombardment Group, Heavy
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
9 April 1944
Place of death
Near Meltofte, Denmark

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
Plot Row Grave
B 39 25

Immediate family

Members
James M. Parker (father)
Myrtle E. Parker (mother)
Muriel Parker (sister)
Lowell E. Parker (brother)
Ruby Parker (sister)
Wilbur R. Parker (brother)
Billy D. Parker (brother)
Norma N. (Hunter) Parker (wife)

Plane data

Serial number
42-39936
Data
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Cawn't Miss
Destination: Posen, Poland
Mission: Bombing
MACR: 3662

More information

While on the return flight from Warnemünde the formation was attacked by approximately 12 FW 190 and "Cawn't Miss" was hit. Both inner engines were set on fire and the crew started to leave the aircraft by parachute.

The intercom had been damaged and Tail gunner S/Sgt Oather G. Meese only became aware the crew were bailing out when he saw a person come by the tail. Meese looked up in the waist and saw RH Waist gunner S/Sgt James E. Parker leave while LH Waist gunner S/Sgt Raymond E. Raley was lying dead on the catwalk. Meese then went forward where he met Ball turret gunner S/Sgt Bernard H. Brand and Radio operator S/Sgt Tomothy J. Nunan. They helped each other put on seat dinghy's and baled out. All three of them landed on the island of Lolland. The aircraft crashed near Meltofte on Lolland at 14:00 hours.

Right waist gunner S/Sgt James E. Parker was washed ashore near Dannemare on 25/6. He was laid to rest in Dannemare cemetery on 28/6-1944.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Terry Hirsch, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, www.flensted.eu.com/1944032.shtml, WWII Draft Card, 1930 US Census

Photo source: www.findagrave.com