Richard Lewis “Dick” Parsons was born on November 30, 1919, in Bainbridge, Chenango County, New York. He was the son of Robert LeGrand Parsons and Emma C Jacobson Parsons. He entered military service in August 1943 and trained with the Army Air Forces, later qualifying at Air Gunnery School as both a waist and tail gunner. He went overseas in June 1944 and was promoted to Staff Sergeant in early August. He served in the 702nd Bomber Squadron, 445th Bomber Group, Heavy, as a Waist Gunner of B-24 #44-10511 during World War II.

On September 27, 1944, B-24J Liberator #44-10511 of the U.S. Army Air Forces, operating with the Eighth Air Force in the European Theater, was lost during a combat mission over German-controlled territory. The aircraft was part of a heavy bomber formation dispatched from its base in England to strike strategic industrial and military targets in Germany. During the mission, the formation encountered intense German air defenses, including fighter interception and anti-aircraft fire. Sustaining severe combat damage, the bomber was shot down and crashed in enemy territory. Following the crash, members of the crew were reported killed, missing, or captured.

SSgt Parsons was killed in action and is now buried in the Greenlawn Cemetery, Bainbridge, Chenango County, New York, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, U.S. National Archives Missing Air Crew Reports (MACR)