U.S.A.A.F B17 Navigator WWII

[namrondooh]

I know its a little outside the forums normal topics but if permitted could someone please advise me how to search for a American B17 navigator, Lt. Richard Parsell, based in East Anglia with the Eighth Air Force during WWII? He survived the war and returned home to California then went to work for Lockheeds. Thank you.
Norman

[dennis_burke]

Have you his middle Initial? Richard ? Parsell or is that his full name do you think.

I ran the name into ancestry.com and there are/were few people of that name so shoudl be easy to fidn out info.

The only US enlistment record is for the following man:

Richard C Parsell. Enllisted Number 19096770
Born 1923, from Oregon, resident in Idaho, enlisted in Spokane Washington July 1942.

I can find a 1/Lt. Richard C Parsell O-717492 who sailed back to New York on the Queeen Mary on November 27 1945. He was on the roster of the 337th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group. The number 1034 listed against him must be his MOS, Mililtary Occupation Specialties because the folks at armyairforces.com list it as 1034 - Navigator
http://www.armyairforces.com/Databases/MOS/tabid/104/Default.aspx

Now those records are incomplete, lots of men are missing from them.
http://aad.archives.gov/aad/series-list.jsp?cat=WR26

How do you know of this man, was he shot down or similar? If so some addresses may be in a MACR. Have you his unit?

You can also try the armyairforces.com forum.

Also, pop the name into whitepages.com and its possible he is still alive as there is one Richard Parsell in the phone listings!

There are 8 Richard Parsell's in the Social Security Death indexs. One died in 2003 and was resident in California.

try this site it has some free California BMD records.

A middle name or initial would be helpful if you have it.

Dennis

[namrondooh]

Hello Dennis,

His middle initial was C for 'Claire' but I'm uncertain about the spelling. Also, can't be too certain about the surname spelling but as there was a joke about his name sounding like a parcel and his unofficial nickname was postie I hazzard a guess it was Parsell or possibly Parcell. He was a very good friend of my mother -they met in Berkley Square, London November 1944. I have a good portrait photograph of him in uniform. She is absolutely certain he sailed back to the USA in the Queen Mary during November 1945 and went on to Los Angeles California then upon release went to work for the Lockheed aircraft corporation. My mother later married a ex WWII RAF navigator in 1950 and has been asking what became of Richard Parsell, I felt I should start making enquires. I do appreciate the information you have so kindly provided, thank you.

Norman

Information added after posting:
1) He was born 10th December 1923
2) He arrived back in USA on 10th December 1945 and wrote to say he was 22
3) He first went to a place called Cepulveday ?
4) He married in late 1940s, had three daughters and lived in Los Angeles City.

[Ken MacLean]

Norman,

The Social Security Death Index lists Richard C. PARSELL, born 10 December 1923, died 4 February 2003. Last residence was Los Angeles California.

http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi

"Cepulveday" probably refers to Sepulveda, a community in the San Fernando Valley very close to Los Angeles if not within it. Sepulveda was renamed North Hill in 1992.

Cheers, Ken

[namrondooh]

Hello Ken,
Thank you for the information. Its been a nostalgic and interesting evening.
Norman

[mhuxt]

<Raises a glass>

What a fine place this forum is.