John Aloysius Parsons was born in 1921. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a Private in 1942. After completing basic training, he was trained as a radio operator. He was then assigned to an operational unit for further combat crew and aerial gunnery training.

The crew was assigned to the newly-activated 388th Bomb Group and deployed to England, arriving in July 1943. The crew was sent to the 561st Bomb Squadron.

On October 2, 1943, the crew participated in a bombing raid on the Hispano Aero Engine Works at Emden, Germany. Approximately 3 to 4 minutes after bomb release was accomplished, a flak shell hit the aircraft. The #1 engine was windmilling and the prop was feathered. Then the # 2 engine quit. The bomber left the formation, fell into a spiral dive, and the crew all managed to bail out. The aircraft crashed into the North Sea, just north of Emden, Germany and along the Danish Coast. The crew all landed in the North Sea.

SSgt Parsons' body washed ashore at Lilleore near Thyboron on November 29. On December 3, it was buried in the Lemvig Cemetery in Grave 714. On May 4, 1948, it was recovered and taken to the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium. From there, it was returned to the U.S. SSgt Parsons now lies in the New Lexington Cemetery in New Lexington, Ohio. He was one of the many brave Americans of the 388th Bomber Group who lost their lives in aerial operations against the German forces from June 1943 - August 1945.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, airforce.togetherweserved.com