John R. Parsons
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John arrived back in Lafayette, Indiana in early May, 1945. He was discharged in November 1945 and entered Indiana Business College. He was later employed by General Telephone Company. John and Mai had a son, John Randolph Parsons in November 21, 1947. They purchased a new home using John's GI Bill entitlements. As an economic measure, John decided to join the Reserve Program. In 1951 the Korean War broke out and John was recalled to active duty. He was assigned to the 434th Troop Carrier Command and was stationed for a few months at Bakalar AFB near Columbus, Indiana. Later John was stationed at Lawson AFB near Columbus, Georgia. John’s wife, Mai and small son Randy joined him. He was discharged from service again in 1953. He took a position as Manager of Seaboard Finance Company, in Clearwater, FL. He was later offered a position as Vice President of National Homes Acceptance Corporation which he accepted and moved with his family back to Lafayette, Indiana. After 17 years with the National Homes Company, John took a position as Vice President of Hometown Federal Savings & Loan. In 1993 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, John was
diagnosed with kidney ailments. He was put on dialysis in December 1993 and
continued as a dialysis patient at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Lafayette, Indiana
until his death on August 2, 1998. John had started to write his memoirs in 1994 and
completed the manuscript just before his death. The title of John’s book is The
Best Seat In The House. John writes about his experiences as a top-turret
gunner on a B-17 (hence the title The Best Seat In The House) and the months that
he spent in different Prisoner of War camps in Germany. John’s book reflects
the triumph of the human spirit over extreme adversity. Another interesting
self written story from the ."The Greatest Generation". |