Harry Clinton Parrish

Mr. Harry Clinton Parrish, 94, of Salisbury passed away Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at North Carolina Lutheran Home at Trinity Oaks. Mr. Parrish was born March 7, 1917 in Salisbury, to the late Roxie Kirk Parrish and Charlie Rose Parrish. He was educated in the Salisbury city schools. Harry was employed with the Southern Railway Company in 1937 at the transfer shed and transferred to the road in 1939, worked as a fireman and was promoted to engineer and retired in October of 1978. He proudly served his country during World War II with the Army Air Force from 1943 to 1945. He was a Staff Sergeant with the 9th Bomber Unit’s, 5th Bomb Squadron. He was an air gunner on the B-29 bomber “Nip Nemesis. Harry flew 33 Missions from the Mariana Islands in the Pacific. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 5 times during his Army Air Force service. He also received Air Metal with four Oak Leaf Clusters for Heroism and the Presidential Medal. Mr. Parrish had never received all his World War II medals, so on October 8, 2010, his niece Tamara and husband Charlie Long present him with a shadow box with all of his medals including the World War II Victory Medal. He also received a ball cap with the B-29 and all his military ribbons on it. Harry was so proud of it that he would show them to anyone that came into his room at the Lutheran Home at Trinity Oaks in Salisbury. He was a member of the Enon Baptist Church and a member of the Andrew Jackson Masonic Lodge #576 A.F & A. M., and the Eastern Star Chapter 117 where he served as district Deputy of the Eastern Star. He was well known and well loved in Salisbury. Harry was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife Ollie Mae Parrish. Those left to cherish his memory are three nieces Joyce Brady, Tamara Long, and Rita Peterson, and one nephew Steven Earnhardt. Funeral Service will be held 2:00 PM Monday (Apr. 25) at Summersett Memorial Chapel, with Rev. Dennis DeLong officiating. Interment will follow at Rowan Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from12:00 to 2:00 PM Monday at Summersett Funeral Home.. Memorials may be made to the VFW Post 3006 1200 Brenner Ave. Salisbury, NC 28144.

Harry Clinton Parrish

March 7, 1917 - April 20, 2011