Alden B. Parker, First Lieutenant, ASN: O1114700 was born 20 July 1912 in Cass County, MO to Jesse William Parker (1882 - 1955) and Ella Grace Bailey Parker (1880 - 1965). On 1 April 1940, he is shown as married to Martha M. (1915-2006) and residing in Bowling Green, Pike Missouri and in 1941 moved to Springfield, Greene, Missouri.

First Lieutenant Parker entered the service in the District of Columbia on 21 October 1942. I was unable to find any information on 1st Lt. Parker’s service prior to being assigned to the 2058th Engineer Aviation Fire Fighting Platoon (EAFFP).

The 2058th EAFFP arrived at Station 450, Zeasl, Wilts on 12 January 1944 and departed 2 February 1944 to assume a new assignment at AAF Station 169-S, Stansted, Essex. On 26 September 1944 the unit arrived at Advanced Landing Ground A-59, Cormeilles-en-vexin, France.

First Lieutenant Parker along with four other members of the 2058th EFFP(A) were killed at Advanced Landing Ground A-59, Cormeilles-en-vexin, France, on 1 January 1945, when a a B-26G-15-MA, nicknamed “See See Senor” assigned to the 497th Bombardment Squadron, 344th Bomb Group, was taking off on a combat mission crashed and burned near the end of the runway. Shortly after the rescue of the aircraft crewmembers, the bombs on board the aircraft exploded killing three firefighters instantly, the fourth died within hours and the fifth died on January 3, 1945.

First Lieutenant Parker is buried in Plot B Row 36 Grave 45, Epinal American Cemetery, Epinal, France.

Under authority contained in General Order #46, Hq, 9th Bombardment Division (M) dated 28 March 1945, a Soldier’s Medal was awarded to the following named men for heroism on 1 January 1945.

Alden B. Parker 1st Lt Posthumous Award

Oliver B. Fisher S/Sgt

Elmer E. Juelg Sgt Posthumous Award

L.B. Junior Burse Sgt

Wilbert G. Reiker Cpl Posthumous Award

Jerold M. Bostick T/5 Posthumous Award

George E. Cornwell T/5

Leonard S. Lucskowski T/5 Posthumous Award

John W. Gutherie, Jr. Pfc

Joseph M. Maier, Jr. Pfc

Francis J. Pelchat Pfc

Sources

https://www.armyfirefighting.com/

http://www.firetrucks-atwar.com/

http://findagrave.com/

https://www.newspapers.com/

https://aad.archives.gov/

https://www.ancestry.com/

https://www.fold3.com/

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see https://www.storiesbehindthestars.org/). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen’s name, and read his/her story. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at allen.ward@armyfirefighting.com.

Alden B Parker