PARKHURST, George J. 1919-2011

PARKHURST, ROSS

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 4/1/2011 at 15:10:21

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George J. Parkhurst

OSAGE, IOWA - Lieutenant Colonel George J. Parkhurst, USAF Ret., 91, of Osage, died Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at the Faith Lutheran Home in Osage.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, April 4, at the Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home in Osage with the Rev. Anna Blaedel officiating. There will be a flag presentation by the Osage American Legion Post 278.

Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m. before the service at the funeral home on Monday, April 4.
Following the funeral service, cremation will take place. Inurnment will be at a later date at Oak Grove Cemetery in Mitchell.

George was born April 6, 1919, in Mitchell, the son of George and Agnes (Ross) Parkhurst. He attended Mitchell schools from grades K-12. He then attended Iowa State University and worked for Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, Calif., prior to entering Aviation Cadet training in August of 1942. George served in the European Theater during World War II, flying the A-26 attack bomber. Following the war, George returned to Iowa and worked in the Carpenter bank prior to being activated in the Air Force Reserve for combat service in Korea. He remained on active duty with the Air Force until his retirement in 1972, including a tour in Vietnam in which he completed 100 missions over North Vietnam. His combat decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters.

George is survived by his wife of 66 years, Bernadine Parkhurst of Osage; two sons, Lt. Col. Allen R. Parkhurst, USMCR Ret. of St. Ansgar, and Col. Philip S. Parkhurst, USMC Ret. and his wife, Marilou, of Carlsbad, Calif.; three grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Information available and condolences accepted at www.champion-bucheitfuneralhome.com
Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home 641-732-3706.

[ Globe Gazette online, April 1, 2011 ]

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#2: NEWS CLIPPING

SAAR BRIDGE BOMBED
BY MITCHELL AIRMAN

A former Douglass aircraft worker flew one of the latest Douglas products, an A-26 Invader, on the 23rd of December, to destroy the highway bridge across the Saar River at Saarburg, Germany. He is Second Lieutenant George J. Parkhurst, 25, of Mitchell, Iowa.

The formation, in which Lieutenant Parkhurst flew, completely destroyed the bridge before the counter-attacking Germans were able to use it to strike westward to Luxemburg, protected by General Patton.

Lieutenant Parkhurst has completed four bombing missions over Germany. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Parkhurst of the above address.

[Mitchell County Press, Thursday, February 1, 1945] (Credit: S. Bell)
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Photo from Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home website.

Mitchell Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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