Raymond I. PARKHURST

Source : Jaap Vermeer 

Parents : Guy Everett & Iva Josephine Robinson PARKHURST

Brothers : Carlton Maynard "Parker" & Richard

Source : SirromC

P-47 Thunderbolt - type D-15-RE - s/n 42-76311 B2

Macr : 6612
Mission : Technique du "dive-bombing" - Dive-bombing sur Tinchebray (61)
Décollage de l"ALG A-1 St-Pierre-du-Mont (14)

Abattu en combat aérien avec 14 chasseurs Focke Wulf 190 Fw190 - Vers 21h10

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  Gorron N°3527

Story of Cemetery Temporary  

Map of St James American Cemetery

Recensement fédéral des États-Unis de 1920

Source : Ancestry 

Source : Gilad Bashan

Source : Jaap Vermeer  

2nd Lieutenant Raymond Irvin Parkhurst was born on October 18, 1922 in Waterville, Maine to parents Guy E. and Iva Robinson Parkhurst. He had two brothers that served with the Army Air Force – Sergeant Carlton Parkhurst and Corporal Richard Parkhurst. His father also served in World War II, in the Foreign Service. 2nd Lt. Parkhurst attended Albion High School in Albion, Maine for three years and graduated from Richmond High School in Richmond, Maine in 1940 where he participated in basketball, baseball, football, and track. He lived with his grandparents - Frank and Alice Parkhurst - in 1940 and moved with them to Richmond at that time. 

2nd lt. Parkhurst enlisted in the service on March 5, 1943 while employed at South Portland Shipyard Company. Upon beginning his service, he became an aviation cadet and started training in the AAF in Pre-Flight School for Pilots at Maxwell Field in Montgomery, Alabama before beginning Flight Instruction Training in May 1943.

Additional training occurred at the 63rd AAF Training Detachment in Douglas, Georgia where he flew Boeing Stearman PT-17 training planes. He also trained at the AAF Flying School at Cochran Field in Macon, Georgia in August 1943.

Completing his training, he was awarded his wings and commission at Advanced Single Engine Pilot School at Spence Field in Moultrie, Georgia on December 5, 1943. 

After receiving his wings and commission after completing his training, he was assigned to the Ninth Air Force, 366th Fighter Group. This FG consisted of three Fighter Squadrons – 389th FS, 390th FS, and 391st FS. 2nd Lt. Parkhurst was a member of the 390th FS. 

Boeing Stearman PT-17

Source : avionslegendaires.net

Source : Fold3

The pilots experienced rigorous training to earn their wings and commissions, and the different stages of training were as follows:

Classification: The stage where it would be decided whether the air cadet would train as a navigator, bombardier, or pilot.

Preflight: Ground training for all cadets. Successful completion meant being assigned to a flying school for training.

Primary: Here they were taught basic flying using two-seat training aircraft. This involved learning formation flying, air navigation, and cross country flying.

Advanced: Single or multi-engine aircraft schools for air cadets becoming fighter, bomber, or transport pilots. After graduation, the air cadet received his wings and was commissioned as second lieutenant. 

The 366th FG was created on May 24, 1943 and activated on June 1, 1943 at Richmond Army Air Base in Henrico County, Virginia. The 366th FG trained at Richmond AAB and also at Bluethenthal Air Field in Wilmington, North Carolina. The group shipped out to England in December 1943 and made its first home base at Royal Air Force Base (British Air Force) Membury / United States Army Air Force Station AAF-466 in Lambourn, England from January 10, 1944 to March 1, 1944. The Group moved to RAF Thruxton / USAAF Station AAF- 407 in Andover, England on March 1, 1944 and flew missions from there until June 12, 1944. 

After their missions while stationed at RAF Membury and RAF Thruxton - and as the Allies began their push from the beaches of Normandy, France through Continental Europe to Germany, the 366th FG moved their bases to captured airfields - or airfields constructed in key areas - known as Advanced Landing Ground bases: 

…Saint-Pierre-du-Mont / ALG A-1, France June 12, 1944 to August 24, 1944

…Dreux / ALG A-41, France August 24, 1944 to September 8, 1944

…Laon-Couvron / ALG A-70, France September 8, 1944 to November 19, 1944

…Asch / ALG Y-29, Belgium November 19, 1944 to April 11, 1945

…Munster-Handorf / ALG Y-94, Germany April 11, 1945 to June 25, 1945

…Bayreuth-Bindlach / ALG R-26, Germany June 25, 1945 to Sept 14, 1945

 After moving to England, the 366th FG gained experience in combat methods and techniques by training with veteran pilots. After this intense training, the group flew their first combat mission on March 14, 1944 - a fighter sweep mission along the French coast (a fighter sweep is a coordinated mission by fighter planes to seek out and destroy enemy aircraft and/or targets of opportunity). The squadrons participated in and supported several key and strategic missions and operations that helped turn the tide against Germany, including D-Day on June 6, 1944 on the beaches and inland in Normandy, France; the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium – from December 1944 to January 1945; and Operation Market Garden – the Allied airborne landing in Holland in September 1944. 

Flying the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter, a crucial function of these units were bomber escort missions - protecting Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bombers, Consolidated B-24 Liberator Heavy Bombers, Martin B-26 Medium Bombers, and Douglas A-26 Light Bombers during their missions from England to Continental Europe. In addition to the protection they provided the bombers, the 366th FG engaged German aircraft in aerial combat and shot down many enemy aircraft during these missions. 

Another vital function of these units was bomb/strafe missions across Europe flying the P-47. Among the many operations these groups participated in was flying cover for Allied forces before, during, and after D-Day. These critically important strafing and bombing missions included attacking German targets such as troop concentrations, railyards, bridges, tunnels, gun emplacements, roadways, fuel centers, armored vehicles such as tanks and personnel carriers, ammunition storage facilities, ships, shipyards, submarine bases, radar facilities, buildings housing enemy troops, and airfields. 

On June 22, 1944 – on what would be his final mission – 2nd Lt. Parkhurst took flight in his P-47 Thunderbolt Fighter (Serial # 42-76311) with fellow pilots of the 390th FS on a dive bomb mission with a destination target near Caen, France. It was reported that during this mission, 2nd Lt. Parkhurst attacked a railroad marshalling yard at 9:10pm. When he completed his attack, the squadron was attacked by 14 German FW-190 fighter planes. During this encounter, it was presumed that 2nd Lt. Parkhurst was shot down in aerial combat. It was presumed that he went down with his plane as there was no parachute visible. He was initially listed as Missing in Action one mile NW of Tinchebray, France. 

2nd Lt. Parkhurst’s plane and remains were later recovered, and he was laid to rest in the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial in Saint James, Normandy, France. This cemetery provides final rest for 4,404 American Heroes who fought in the Normandy and Brittany Campaigns, as well as 500 Heroes who are missing. 

He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Air Medal for his heroic actions. 

The 366th FG was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for meritorious action in the St. Lo area of Normandy, France on July 11, 1944.

Source : Ancestry

Father of 

Raymond I

Guy Everett 

PARKHURST

Source : Ancestry

Spouse : Iva Josephine Robinson PARKHURST

Brothers : Carlton Maynard "Parker", Raymond & Richard

Source : Ancestry

Brother of 

Raymond I

Carlton Maynard 

PARKHURST

"Parker"

Source : Ty

Sarasota Memorial Park Sarasota, Sarasota, FLORIDA

Source : Karen Weeks

Spouse : Manolia Wanda Millar Goare

Parents : Guy Everett & Iva Josephine Robinson PARKHURST

Brothers : Raymond I & Richard

Source : Ancestry

Brother of

Raymond I

Richard PARKHURST

MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL CEMETERY
Connery Avenue, Bourne, MASSACHUSETTS

Source : Vlm.cem.va.gov

Parents : Guy Everett & Iva Josephine Robinson PARKHURST

Frère : Raymond I & Carlton M

100th Organinzational Maintenance Squadron SAC

AB     US Air Force