PARKER, Colonel Van R.
Commander,
320th Bombardment Wing
Colonel Van R. Parker was born in Oakland, Illinois, on December 11, 1915 and passed peacefully at his Carmichael home on Sunday, April 25, 2010. He attended the Oakland Township High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois in 1938. After having distinguished himself as an honor ROTC cadet, he also received a 2nd Lieutenant's commission in the Horse Cavalry of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Van entered the military service in May 1941 and earned his pilot wings in March 1943.
During World War II, the colonel served in the Pacific Theater of Operations, flying combat in B-29 bomber aircraft. He returned to the Pacific during the Korean Conflict, again participating in heavy bombardment operations. During these two periods of combat, Colonel Parker completed 45 missions and logged a total of 622 combat flying hours.
Since the Korean Conflict, the colonel has been assigned various operations and command duties. He served as director of operations for the 36th Air Division at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona; director of plans at Fifteenth Air Force, March AFB, Calif.; and chief of tactics, directorate of operations, at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. In this latter position, Colonel Parker had the additional duty of serving as chief of tactics for the Department of Defense Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff.
In late summer of 1962 Van served as vice commander of the 28th Bombardment Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, and in less than a year he was reassigned to command the 320th Bombardment Wing, Mather AFB, California.
Under Colonel Parker's command, the 320th Bomb Wing was first to deploy to the Western Pacific in support of the B-52 conventional weapons delivery role in the Viet Nam war. The wing was also the first to go into combat with the jet bomber. The 320th Bombardment Wing had developed, under the colonel's guidance, the B-52 conventional weapons delivery capability for the Strategic Air Command more than two years earlier. The wing spent ten months in actual combat with the B-52s.
Colonel Parker personally led 40 combat missions in Viet Nam and accumulated more than 380 hours of combat over Southeast Asia. This brings his total combat flying time to more than 1,000 hours, a feat few men can claim.
Among his personal decorations are the Legion of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, six Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Army Commendation Ribbon, four Presidential Unit Citations and an Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation. Van holds the aeronautical rating of command pilot.
By his own words, one of the most significant occasions of Van's fascinating life occurred when he had the honor of leading a B-29 squadron in a ''Show of Force'' fly over during the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945. In his book 'Dear Folks' an autobiographical account of his World War II experiences he described the event as ''the greatest display of aerial force ever assembled.'' He was also given mention in Tom Brokaw's book 'The Greatest Generation.'
Colonel Parker was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Ellen Jean (Torrey) Parker. He is survived by his four children Jim, Tom, Linda and Bill. He also leaves behind his current loving wife of nearly 13 years, Naomi French Parker and her children Patricia Grimm and Thomas French, along with six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and four step grandchildren.
The Parker and French families wish to express their deepest gratitude to Mele Grogan and her family for their exceptional care and loving support during our time of need. Also the family is thankful for the additional support from Pastor Keith DeVries and the Carmichael Presbyterian Church and the Vitas Hospice Program.
A funeral service with full military honors will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks. The service will be followed by a reception at 4:00pm at the Carmichael Presbyterian Church, 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Carmichael Presbyterian Church Food Closet at 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608; or to the Alzheimers Aid Society of Northern California at P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento, CA 95812
Commander,
320th Bombardment Wing
Colonel Van R. Parker was born in Oakland, Illinois, on December 11, 1915 and passed peacefully at his Carmichael home on Sunday, April 25, 2010. He attended the Oakland Township High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois in 1938. After having distinguished himself as an honor ROTC cadet, he also received a 2nd Lieutenant's commission in the Horse Cavalry of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Van entered the military service in May 1941 and earned his pilot wings in March 1943.
During World War II, the colonel served in the Pacific Theater of Operations, flying combat in B-29 bomber aircraft. He returned to the Pacific during the Korean Conflict, again participating in heavy bombardment operations. During these two periods of combat, Colonel Parker completed 45 missions and logged a total of 622 combat flying hours.
Since the Korean Conflict, the colonel has been assigned various operations and command duties. He served as director of operations for the 36th Air Division at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona; director of plans at Fifteenth Air Force, March AFB, Calif.; and chief of tactics, directorate of operations, at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. In this latter position, Colonel Parker had the additional duty of serving as chief of tactics for the Department of Defense Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff.
In late summer of 1962 Van served as vice commander of the 28th Bombardment Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, and in less than a year he was reassigned to command the 320th Bombardment Wing, Mather AFB, California.
Under Colonel Parker's command, the 320th Bomb Wing was first to deploy to the Western Pacific in support of the B-52 conventional weapons delivery role in the Viet Nam war. The wing was also the first to go into combat with the jet bomber. The 320th Bombardment Wing had developed, under the colonel's guidance, the B-52 conventional weapons delivery capability for the Strategic Air Command more than two years earlier. The wing spent ten months in actual combat with the B-52s.
Colonel Parker personally led 40 combat missions in Viet Nam and accumulated more than 380 hours of combat over Southeast Asia. This brings his total combat flying time to more than 1,000 hours, a feat few men can claim.
Among his personal decorations are the Legion of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, six Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Army Commendation Ribbon, four Presidential Unit Citations and an Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation. Van holds the aeronautical rating of command pilot.
By his own words, one of the most significant occasions of Van's fascinating life occurred when he had the honor of leading a B-29 squadron in a ''Show of Force'' fly over during the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945. In his book 'Dear Folks' an autobiographical account of his World War II experiences he described the event as ''the greatest display of aerial force ever assembled.'' He was also given mention in Tom Brokaw's book 'The Greatest Generation.'
Colonel Parker was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Ellen Jean (Torrey) Parker. He is survived by his four children Jim, Tom, Linda and Bill. He also leaves behind his current loving wife of nearly 13 years, Naomi French Parker and her children Patricia Grimm and Thomas French, along with six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and four step grandchildren.
The Parker and French families wish to express their deepest gratitude to Mele Grogan and her family for their exceptional care and loving support during our time of need. Also the family is thankful for the additional support from Pastor Keith DeVries and the Carmichael Presbyterian Church and the Vitas Hospice Program.
A funeral service with full military honors will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks. The service will be followed by a reception at 4:00pm at the Carmichael Presbyterian Church, 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Carmichael Presbyterian Church Food Closet at 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608; or to the Alzheimers Aid Society of Northern California at P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento, CA 95812
PARKER, Colonel Van R.
Commander,
320th Bombardment Wing
Colonel Van R. Parker was born in Oakland, Illinois, on December 11, 1915 and passed peacefully at his Carmichael home on Sunday, April 25, 2010. He attended the Oakland Township High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois in 1938. After having distinguished himself as an honor ROTC cadet, he also received a 2nd Lieutenant's commission in the Horse Cavalry of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Van entered the military service in May 1941 and earned his pilot wings in March 1943.
During World War II, the colonel served in the Pacific Theater of Operations, flying combat in B-29 bomber aircraft. He returned to the Pacific during the Korean Conflict, again participating in heavy bombardment operations. During these two periods of combat, Colonel Parker completed 45 missions and logged a total of 622 combat flying hours.
Since the Korean Conflict, the colonel has been assigned various operations and command duties. He served as director of operations for the 36th Air Division at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona; director of plans at Fifteenth Air Force, March AFB, Calif.; and chief of tactics, directorate of operations, at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. In this latter position, Colonel Parker had the additional duty of serving as chief of tactics for the Department of Defense Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff.
In late summer of 1962 Van served as vice commander of the 28th Bombardment Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, and in less than a year he was reassigned to command the 320th Bombardment Wing, Mather AFB, California.
Under Colonel Parker's command, the 320th Bomb Wing was first to deploy to the Western Pacific in support of the B-52 conventional weapons delivery role in the Viet Nam war. The wing was also the first to go into combat with the jet bomber. The 320th Bombardment Wing had developed, under the colonel's guidance, the B-52 conventional weapons delivery capability for the Strategic Air Command more than two years earlier. The wing spent ten months in actual combat with the B-52s.
Colonel Parker personally led 40 combat missions in Viet Nam and accumulated more than 380 hours of combat over Southeast Asia. This brings his total combat flying time to more than 1,000 hours, a feat few men can claim.
Among his personal decorations are the Legion of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, six Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Army Commendation Ribbon, four Presidential Unit Citations and an Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation. Van holds the aeronautical rating of command pilot.
By his own words, one of the most significant occasions of Van's fascinating life occurred when he had the honor of leading a B-29 squadron in a ''Show of Force'' fly over during the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945. In his book 'Dear Folks' an autobiographical account of his World War II experiences he described the event as ''the greatest display of aerial force ever assembled.'' He was also given mention in Tom Brokaw's book 'The Greatest Generation.'
Colonel Parker was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Ellen Jean (Torrey) Parker. He is survived by his four children Jim, Tom, Linda and Bill. He also leaves behind his current loving wife of nearly 13 years, Naomi French Parker and her children Patricia Grimm and Thomas French, along with six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and four step grandchildren.
The Parker and French families wish to express their deepest gratitude to Mele Grogan and her family for their exceptional care and loving support during our time of need. Also the family is thankful for the additional support from Pastor Keith DeVries and the Carmichael Presbyterian Church and the Vitas Hospice Program.
A funeral service with full military honors will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks. The service will be followed by a reception at 4:00pm at the Carmichael Presbyterian Church, 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Carmichael Presbyterian Church Food Closet at 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608; or to the Alzheimers Aid Society of Northern California at P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento, CA 95812
Commander,
320th Bombardment Wing
Colonel Van R. Parker was born in Oakland, Illinois, on December 11, 1915 and passed peacefully at his Carmichael home on Sunday, April 25, 2010. He attended the Oakland Township High School and received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois in 1938. After having distinguished himself as an honor ROTC cadet, he also received a 2nd Lieutenant's commission in the Horse Cavalry of the U.S. Army Reserve.
Van entered the military service in May 1941 and earned his pilot wings in March 1943.
During World War II, the colonel served in the Pacific Theater of Operations, flying combat in B-29 bomber aircraft. He returned to the Pacific during the Korean Conflict, again participating in heavy bombardment operations. During these two periods of combat, Colonel Parker completed 45 missions and logged a total of 622 combat flying hours.
Since the Korean Conflict, the colonel has been assigned various operations and command duties. He served as director of operations for the 36th Air Division at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona; director of plans at Fifteenth Air Force, March AFB, Calif.; and chief of tactics, directorate of operations, at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. In this latter position, Colonel Parker had the additional duty of serving as chief of tactics for the Department of Defense Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff.
In late summer of 1962 Van served as vice commander of the 28th Bombardment Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, and in less than a year he was reassigned to command the 320th Bombardment Wing, Mather AFB, California.
Under Colonel Parker's command, the 320th Bomb Wing was first to deploy to the Western Pacific in support of the B-52 conventional weapons delivery role in the Viet Nam war. The wing was also the first to go into combat with the jet bomber. The 320th Bombardment Wing had developed, under the colonel's guidance, the B-52 conventional weapons delivery capability for the Strategic Air Command more than two years earlier. The wing spent ten months in actual combat with the B-52s.
Colonel Parker personally led 40 combat missions in Viet Nam and accumulated more than 380 hours of combat over Southeast Asia. This brings his total combat flying time to more than 1,000 hours, a feat few men can claim.
Among his personal decorations are the Legion of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, six Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Army Commendation Ribbon, four Presidential Unit Citations and an Air Force Outstanding Unit Citation. Van holds the aeronautical rating of command pilot.
By his own words, one of the most significant occasions of Van's fascinating life occurred when he had the honor of leading a B-29 squadron in a ''Show of Force'' fly over during the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, September 2, 1945. In his book 'Dear Folks' an autobiographical account of his World War II experiences he described the event as ''the greatest display of aerial force ever assembled.'' He was also given mention in Tom Brokaw's book 'The Greatest Generation.'
Colonel Parker was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Ellen Jean (Torrey) Parker. He is survived by his four children Jim, Tom, Linda and Bill. He also leaves behind his current loving wife of nearly 13 years, Naomi French Parker and her children Patricia Grimm and Thomas French, along with six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and four step grandchildren.
The Parker and French families wish to express their deepest gratitude to Mele Grogan and her family for their exceptional care and loving support during our time of need. Also the family is thankful for the additional support from Pastor Keith DeVries and the Carmichael Presbyterian Church and the Vitas Hospice Program.
A funeral service with full military honors will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010 at Mount Vernon Memorial Park, 8201 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks. The service will be followed by a reception at 4:00pm at the Carmichael Presbyterian Church, 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Carmichael Presbyterian Church Food Closet at 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608; or to the Alzheimers Aid Society of Northern California at P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento, CA 95812
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