World War II Honoree

Parker Bryant Baum

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Porstmouth, Virginia

Honored By

Michael Lynett

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY AND AFTER HIS BASIC TRAINING AND ADVANCED TRAINING AT HARVARD COMMUNICATIONS SCHOOL HE SHIPPED OUT INTO THE PACIFIC. HE SAW THREE YEARS OF ACTION, HONORABLY SERVING ADMIRAL R. TURNER AS HIS FLAGSHIP COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IN THE MAJOR BATTLES OF THE PACIFIC, INCLUDING IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA. HE WAS WAITING IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS TO INVADE JAPAN IN 1945 WHEN THE WAR ENDED. AFTER THE WAR, HE SERVED AS A CREWMEMBER ON THE USS MISSOURI BB-6,3 AND IN APRIL 1946 THE MISSOURI BROUGHT THE BODY OF THE LATE TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES HOME FOR BURIAL IN ISTANBUL AND THEN TO ROME IN WHERE HE HAD AN AUDIENCE WITH THE POPE. HE RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE NAVY WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE.