World War II Honoree

David Parrish

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Lakeland, Florida

Honored By

John Parrish

Relationship

Son

SERVICE FROM 1943 TO 1947 AND SERVED IN THE 20TH AIR FORCE. HE TRAINED TO FLY B-24 AND B-29 BOMBERS. HE BECAME A CO-PILOT ON A B-29 AND RECEIVED HIS WINGS AT A FIELD IN VINCENNES, INDIANA. HE TRAINED AT TYNDALL FIELD IN PANAMA CITY, FL; MAXWELL FIELD IN MONTGOMERY, AL, (TWICE); BARKSDALE FIELD, LOUISIANA; TO 271ST AAF BASE UNIT AF2AF, KEARNEY ARMY AIR FIELD, KEARNEY NEBRASKA. FROM KEARNEY HE LEFT FOR CA. AFTER A SHORT STAY THERE, HE WAS FLOWN TO HAWAII WHERE, WHERE UPON LANDING WAS INFORMED THAT WWII HAD COME TO AN END. HE TRANSFERRED FROM HAWAII TO THE MARIANA ISLANDS IN THE PACIFIC. THESE ISLANDS ARE COMPOSED OF THREE ISLANDS --- SAIPAN, GUAM, TINIAN. HE SERVED EIGHT MONTHS ON THE ISLANDS OF SAIPAN AND GUAM BEFORE BEING SHIPPED HOME ON AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER. WHILE ON SAIPAN, HE FLEW ON A THREE-PLANE MISSION TO NORTHERN JAPAN TO DROP FOOD STORED IN 55-GALLON DRUMS TO OUR TROOPS. HE WAS FORCED TO LAND ON THE AIRFIELD AT ATSUGI NEAR TOKYO BECAUSE OF A FUEL SHORTAGE. AFTER LEAVING JAPAN, HE LANDED ON THE ISLAND OF IWO JIMA THEN ON TO SAIPAN.