World War II Honoree

Floyd Lavinius Parks

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Louisville, Kentucky

Honored By

John Peterson

IN JULY 1941 HE BECAME SECRETARY OF THE WAR DEPARTMENT GENERAL STAFF. IN MARCH 1942, HE WAS APPOINTED DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY GROUND FORCES UNDER LIEUTENANT GENERAL LESLEY J. MCNAIR, LATER BECOMING ITS CHIEF OF STAFF. HE WAS PROMOTED TO BRIGADIER GENERAL IN JUNE 1942. FROM MAY 1943 TO JULY 1944 HE WAS THE ASSISTANT DIVISION COMMANDER OF THE 69TH INFANTRY DIVISION AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, UNDER THE COMMAND OF MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES L. BOLTE. IN AUGUST 1944 HE BECAME CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE FIRST ALLIED AIRBORNE ARMY, LATER THE U.S. FIRST AIRBORNE ARMY, UNDER LIEUTENANT GENERAL LEWIS H. BRERETON. HE WAS PROMOTED TO MAJOR GENERAL IN MARCH 1945. FROM MAY TO OCTOBER 1945, HE SUCCEEDED BRERETON IN COMMAND OF THE FIRST AIRBORNE ARMY.