Memorial

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1st Lt Harry B. Parker graduated from Monmouth High School and from Oregon State College in 1940 in agriculture. He was employed at the Agricultural Adjustment Agency on the college campus.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Portland, Oregon on 6 August 1942 was sent overseas in May 1944.

His daughter Mary was born three months after Lt Parker was killed.

The airplane was hit by 20 mm flak and a small fire started on the right wing. With only seconds in which to work, Capt Hunter, considered one of the best pilots in the group, picked his spot and started to bring the B-24 in on its belly. At less then 50 feet, however, the right inboard engine burst into flames. The right wing dropped and it was too low when the plane hit. The instant was captured by a camera in another aircraft. The plane then slid on the ground, crashed into a haystack and exploded. It came to rest in a field about three fourths of a mile northeast of a train overpass near the town of Udenhout.

Because of the low altitude, no one was able to bail out. Nine crew members were killed. One man survived, evaded capture and was kept hidden until the town was liberated by Canadian troops.