Technician 4th Grade Laverne Parrish
U.S. Army, 25th Infantry Division, 161st Infantry Regiment, Medical Detachment

Background
Laverne Parrish was born July 16, 1918 to parents Clatious Parrish and Weltha Parrish in Knox City, Missouri. He completed grammar school.

Wartime History
On March 4, 1941 he enlisted in the U.S. Army with the rank of Private with serial number 39601126. Assigned to the 25th Infantry Division (25th ID) "Tropic Lightning", 161st Infantry Regiment "First Washington", Medical Detachment as a medic. By early January 1945, promoted to the rank of Technician 4th Grade (T/4) and participated in the U.S. Army liberation campaign on Luzon in the Philippines.

On January 18, 1945 Parrish was a was medical aid man with Company C engaged in Binalonan in the Philippines. During the combat, he observed two wounded men under enemy fire and immediately went to their rescue. After moving one to cover, he crossed 25 yards of open ground to administer aid to the second.

On January 24, 1945 in the early morning hours, Parrish and his company crossing an open field near San Manuel when they encountered intense enemy fire and was ordered to withdraw to the cover of a ditch. He again braved hostile fire to give aid to the wounded, carrying five men to safety and treating dozens more before he was mortally wounded by mortar fire and died shortly afterwards.

Medal of Honor
On July 13, 1945 earn the Medal of Honor for his actions January 18, 1945 and January 24, 1945, posthumously. On August 2, 1945 his parents by Col. A. M. Weyand of Fort Missoula at the local high school stadium in Edina, Missouri. Today, his Medal of Honor is displayed at the Montana Military Museum.

Medal of Honor General Orders No. 55, July 13, 1945 (January 18, 1945 and January 24, 1945, posthumously) Citation: "The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Technician Fourth Grade Laverne Parrish, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty on January 18 – 24, 1945, while serving with Medical Detachment, 161st Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. Technician Fourth Grade Parrish was medical aid man with Company C during the fighting in Binalonan, Luzon, Philippine Islands. On the 18th, he observed two wounded men under enemy fire and immediately went to their rescue. After moving one 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 two wounded still in the field. Without hesitation he left the ditch, crawled forward under enemy fire, and in two 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 three 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."

Awards
Parrish earned the Medal of Honor, Good Conduct Medal and Purple Heart, posthumously.

Display
The Montana Military Museum has a display related to Parrish that includes his framed photograph, Medal of Honor, Medal of Honor certificate, Good Conduct Medal, Purple Heart and Purple Heart, certificate.

Memorials
Parrish died January 24, 1945 at age 26. Postwar, he was buried at Ronan Cemetery in Ronan, Montana at section 7, block 7, grave 4.

References
NARA World War II Army Enlistment Records - Laverne Parrish
The Montana Standard "Medal of Honor Given State Youth's Parents LaVerne Parrish, Who died on Luzon, is honored" Aug 3, 1945 page 1
The Ronan Pioneer "Medal of Honor Awarded Parrish" August 9, 1945, page 1
The Edina Sentinel and Knox County Democrat Archive "Given Congressional Medal T/4 Laverne Parrish of Pabio, Mont., a former Knox Contian" August 16, 1945 page 1
Medal of Honor Society - Laverne Parrish (MOH citation)
Hall of Valor - Laverne Parrish (full MOH citation)
FindAGrave - Laverne Parrish (photo, grave photos)
Thanks to Montana Military Museum for additional information and photographs

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