World War II Honoree

Luther Jackson Parsley

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Spruce Pine, North Carolina

Honored By

Novaro & Jan Nichols, Thomas E. Parsley

Relationship

Friends, Son

NAVY CONSTRUCTION BATTALION'S FIRST CLASS PETTY OFFICER. HE WORKED IN MINING BEFORE ENLISTING THEREFORE HE BECAME AN EXPLOSIVE EXPERT STATIONED IN SAIPAN. HIS OUTFIT INVADED WITH THE MARINE CORPS. THEY RAN A ROCK QUARRY AND BUILT THE FIRST ROAD ACROSS THE ISLAND. THIS WAS A VERY DIFFICULT JOB DUE TO JAPANESE SNIPERS THAT SEEMED TO BE EVERYWHERE. THEIR WORK WAS INTERRUPTED MANY TIMES UNTIL THE SNIPERS COULD BE FOUND. HE WAS ALSO STATIONED IN CUBA AND CALIFORNIA.