PARRISH, LAVERNE - Medal of Honor Recipient
Rank and organization: Technician 4th Grade, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment,
161st Infantry, 25th Infantry Division . Place and date: Binalonan, Luzon,
Philippine Islands, 18-24 January 1945. Entered service at: Ronan, Mont.
Birth: Knox City, Mo. G.O. No.: 55, 13 July 1945. Citation: He was medical
aid man with Company C during the fighting in Binalonan, Luzon, Philippine
Islands. On the 18th, he observed 2 wounded men under enemy fire and immediately
went to their rescue. After moving 1 to cover, he crossed 25 yards of open
ground to administer aid to the second. In the early hours of the 24th,
his company, crossing an open field near San Manuel, encountered intense
enemy fire and was ordered to withdraw to the cover of a ditch. While treating
the casualties, Technician Parrish observed 2 wounded still in the field.
Without hesitation he left the ditch, crawled forward under enemy fire,
and in 2 successive trips brought both men to safety. He next administered
aid to 12 casualties in the same field, crossing and re-crossing the open
area raked by hostile fire. Making successive trips, he then brought 3
wounded in to cover. After treating nearly all of the 37 casualties suffered
by his company, he was mortally wounded by mortar fire, and shortly after
was killed. The indomitable spirit, intrepidity, and gallantry of Technician
Parrish saved many lives at the cost of his own.
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