Captain Elmer L. Parsel
U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF), 19th Bomb Group (19th BG) and 7th Bomb Group (7th BG)
B-17 pilot Killed In Action April 2, 1942

Background
Elmer L. Parsel was born September 18, 1906 to parents William Benjamin Parsel and Mary C. Tinkey Parsel in Plymouth, Ohio.

Wartime History
Parsel enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) and attended flight school and earned his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. Prewar, sent overseas to the Philippines and assigned to the 19th Bombardment Group (19th BG). On December 22, 1941 in the morning he took off piloting a B-17 on a bombing mission against Japanese ships off Davao and transports in Lingayen Gulf on a mission that lasted over 32 hours. Next, assigned to the 7th Bombardment Group (7th BG) in India.

Mission History
On April 2, 1942 in the early evening took off from Asansol Airfield in India piloting B-17E Flying Fortress on a bombing mission against warehouses and docks at Rangoon in Burma. During the take off, this B-17 slipped off the runway, possibly because the crew forgot to unlock the controls. Trying to avoid a stump on the right side of the runway, Parsel pull up sharply and the nose and landing gear lifted off the ground but the tail impacted the stump, tearing off one of the tail elevators. The bomber climbed to roughly 100', then rolled over and crashed into a gully near the runway. The entire crew was killed in the crash. Luckily, the bomb load did not detonate.

Recovery of Remains
After the crash, the remains of the crew were recovered and buried. Postwar, their remains were exhumed and transported to the United States for permanent burial.

Memorials
Parsel was officially declared dead the day of the mission. On September 20, 1951 buried in a group burial at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery at plot F graves 271-272.

Awards
For the April 2, 1942 mission, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for "Courage, determination, and extraordinary flying skill on completing a bombardment mission of extreme importance." He also earned the Purple Heart, posthumously.

References
FindAGrave - Captain Elmer L. Parsel (grave photo)

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