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Parker, William Henry (ASN 20834415) (SSN 384-03-0951) was born in Garfield County, Oklahoma on 8 June 1919 the son of Earl F. Parker and Nora S. Sargent. Bill attended high school in Enid, OK.
He was a member of the Oklahoma National Guard when his unit was inducted into Federal service on 16 September 1940 at Enid, OK. At the time of his enlistment, he was a resident of Garfield County, OK. Bill was assigned to “B” Battery.
On 8 November 1944 at 1210 hours, Lt. Flavey E. Baker and Private William H. Parker were in the vicinity of Migneville, France looking for a suitable observation post when their jeep ran over a mine. Private Parker was killed instantly and Lt. Baker received a fracture of the left arm and lacerations on the face. The vehicle was completely demolished. Lt. Baker was evacuated by the medical personnel of the 2d French Armored Division.
The remains of Private William H. Parker were delivered to the Graves Registration collecting point in Luneville the following morning. Bill was survived by his wife and an infant daughter whom he never met. He was buried in the U.S. Military Cemetery at Epinal, France. Two copies of QMC Form 1 “Report of Burial” were placed in glass bottles and one was buried with the body and the other buried twelve inches below the grave marker. This would help later with identification when the remains were removed from the temporary grave. In 1948, his remains were repatriated to the United States. He was interred in the Enid, Oklahoma Cemetery on 9 June 1948.