Elmer L Parnell (1909 - 1944)

Born 16 Jul 1909 in Somerset, St Croix, Wisconsin

Ancestors

Died 17 Nov 1944 at age 35 in Camp Luna, Las Vegas, New Mexico

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Biography

Elmer was born in 1909, the youngest of 13 children, to Lawrence Parnell and Elieze (Belisle).^[1][2] He went to college in River Falls, and played on the football team there.^[3] Afterward, he got his Masters Degree at Marquette University. He returned home and became a teacher at Somerset high school, then advanced to school principal.^{[4] [5]}

Then in 1942, the draft came calling and Elmer stepped up.^[6] His draft card gives this physical description; 5 ft 5-1/2 inch, 150 lbs, with blue eyes and brown hair. Elmer received special training at several locations around the country, including officers training in Miami. He had completed his final training at Camp Luna New Mexico in the autumn of 1944, and was waiting to ship out. Then, on Nov 17th, he supposedly died in his sleep of a heart attack, a healthy young man of 35. The family had suspicions of fragging, (before the term was actually coined), but no investigation was made. He had undergone a complete physical just days before, and was given a clean bill of health. The US Military recorded his death as DNB, Died-Non-Battle.^{[7] [8]} His body was returned to Somerset, where he had a closed casket funeral and was buried with honor in St Anne Cemetery.^{[9] [10][11]}

Elmer was acknowledged in the 1946 Yearbook for River Falls Teachers College, where he had received a Bachelor of Education degree in 1932.^[12] The book featured a bio and photo of fallen soldiers that were alumni of the school.

Parnell street in Somerset, Wisconsin is named specifically in his honor.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPV9-KGG : accessed 31 October 2019), Elmer Parnell in household of Lawrence Parnell, Somerset, St Croix, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 205, sheet 8A, family 92, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1736; FHL microfilm 1,375,749.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFKX-DFK : accessed 31 October 2019), Elmer L Parnell in household of Laurence Parnell, Somerset, St Croix, Wisconsin, United States; citing ED 193, sheet 1A, line 8, family 1, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 2015; FHL microfilm 1,822,015.
3. ↑ 1929 River Falls football https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AKFQBZV2KUFA3K8L
4. ↑ 1930 US Fed Census for Elmer Parnell - youngest of 13 children https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9ST-H7W
5. ↑ 1940 US Fed Census for Elmer Parnell - teacher https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K7V9-YB9
6. ↑ 1942 Elmer Parnell US Military Enlistment Record https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8YL-HFG
7. ↑ 1946 Honor Roll of WWII Dead, St Croix Cty, Wisconsin http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/tp/id/63311/show/63303/rec/11
8. ↑ New Mexico death cert. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YG-P9ZR-Y?i=371
9. ↑ 1945 Elmer Parnell Application for Headstone by his mother Elieze Belisle https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1Z-6316
10. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial for Elmer Parnell https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/170516713/elmer-l-parnell
11. ↑ https://billiongraves.com/grave/Elmer-L-Parnell/27738296
12. ↑ 1946 River Falls Yearbook. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1265&h=276928631&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=gri2&_phstart=successSource