World War II always has fascinated me. I enjoy reading about the strategies, military concepts, and weapons used by the Axis and the Allies. I also like reading about such leaders as Erwin Rommel, Joseph Stalin, Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, Winston Churchill, and Gen. George Patton. That is why meeting Henry Parham, a veteran of World War II, meant a lot to me.
As I listened to Mr. Parham's stories about his war experiences, I tried to imagine what he must have endured. Mr. Parham was born Nov. 15, 1921, on a farm in Greenville, Va. Although the United States, especially the southern part, did not always treat African-Americans like Mr. Parham with respect and equality, the country still drafted Mr. Parham in 1942. He wound up at Camp Tyson in Tennessee, the perfect windy setting for teaching soldiers how to raise and lower barrage balloons.
"I became a part of the 320th Battalion for Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloons," said Mr. Parham, who lives in Forest Hills. "With 1,500 other African-American men, I practiced how to keep the balloons steady, even in the windiest of conditions."
After 10 months of basic training and following a short stay at Fort Meade, Md., Pfc. Parham sailed from New York to England in 1943. But the bombings of London prevented Mr. Parham from going there. Instead, he spent seven months in Suffolk and then in Pony Pool, waiting for the invasion of the continent.
Based upon movies such as "The Longest Day" and many history books, I knew a great deal about D-Day before speaking with Mr. Parham. The Allies, to prevent Germany from invading England, decided to enter France. Once the Allies freed France, they hoped to advance to Berlin and defeat Germany.
Mr. Parham added his own perspective to these facts.
"I took part in this invasion, code-named D-Day or Operation Overlord," explained Mr. Parham. "Unlike the other men on my small landing craft, I did not get seasick sailing across the English Channel. On June 6, 1944, we landed on Omaha Beach. It was 2 p.m."
I envisioned Mr. Parham trudging through water up to his neck. He held his rifle above his head to keep it dry, while he attached heavy wrenches and other tools to his belt. His 18 days on Omaha Beach consisted of avoiding constant shelling and thousands of German land mines.
During the day, Mr. Parham and his team of five men hid in the trenches; at night, they left the safety of the trenches to raise and lower the barrage balloons. These balloons were used to disable and destroy German planes and to protect the American landing craft that brought reinforcements and supplies to the beach.
Based upon Mr. Parham's description, I imagined the balloons as large blimps with cables hanging down like thick strands of spaghetti. At the end of the cables were half-pound parachutes containing TNT. After the balloons snagged the enemy planes, the TNT detonated and destroyed the planes but did not affect the helium-filled balloons. While Mr. Parham did not remember the exact number of planes he had downed, he knew his battalion destroyed 73 planes.
D-Day did not end the war for Mr. Parham. He stayed in Sherburne, France, for five months, protecting Patton's army. The United States Army then shipped him to America. He spent his 30-day leave visiting his family in Richmond, Va.
During his absence, Germany surrendered, but Mr. Parham continued to serve. The Army transported him to a camp in Georgia to train him for the Southern Pacific offensive. Fortunately, he never had to leave Honolulu because a mechanical failure prevented his transport ship from setting sail. Two days later, the Japanese surrendered, and World War II came to an end.
Not only did Mr. Parham survive the war, but he used the G.I. Bill to make a better life for himself. He moved to Pittsburgh to study how to build and repair televisions, but eventually decided to become a tailor. He worked for the Buncher Company until he retired. Now, he and his wife live in a Pittsburgh apartment.
As I interviewed Mr. Parham, I came to see this "gentle giant" as a nice person who believes in giving to his country. Although he has pride in the medal he received from the Consul of France in memory of the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, Mr. Parham has more pride in the work he does for the American Legion. He also volunteers at the Highland Drive Veterans Hospital.
Because of Mr. Parham, I now realize that the people who fight for my freedom are just regular people who do heroic deeds. Mr. Parham and all veterans deserve our respect and support.
First Published: September 3, 2009, 4:00 a.m.
