MOUNT CARMEL - On Sunday, Feb. 26, the Mount Carmel Area Joint Veterans Committee held its 427th "Changing of the Colors" flag ceremony in honor and memory of a Mount Carmel native who made the supreme sacrifice during World War II.
Edward B. Parry Jr. was born in Mount Carmel on Oct. 11, 1909, a son of Edward and Anna (Watkins) Parry. Prior to entry into the service, he was employed at the Alaska Colliery and the supply depot in Marietta. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church and Lodge No. 630 of the International Order of Odd Fellows, both of Mount Carmel, and served for a time as a Republican committeeman in Mount Carmel's Second Ward.
Parry enlisted in the U.S. Army on Oct. 13, 1942. Assigned to the medical corps, he was trained at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. His outfit received further training at Camp Phillips, Kansas, in California and Fort Dix, New Jersey before leaving for England in June 1943. A member of the Medical Detachment with the 317th Infantry Regiment, 80th Division (the Blue Ridge Division), he achieved the rank of Technician Fourth Grade.
In the Sept. 21, 1944 London edition of Stars and Stripes, the Army newsletter, a picture of an official action photo taken in actual battle shows a medical corpsman crouched behind a helmet dragging a wounded officer off the battlefield. The caption reads: "For the U.S. Army captain, wounded by a Nazi machinegun slug while moving through the French town of Madieres in the Moselle River sector-pain. With bullets still cracking overhead, Lt. Robert E. Thiekle, photographer from Third Army Headquarters, and Sgt. Ed Parry, of Mount Carmel, Pa., crawl in to remove the officer."
The captain would survive his wounds but Parry was killed in action that day. The date was Sept. 17, 1944 and Parry received the Purple Heart.
At the time of his death, Parry was survived by his father, three brothers, and two sisters. He is buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Mount Carmel Township.
The Parry flag was escorted to the service by Nicholas Kuzo. It was presented by Parry's nephew, John Parry, to Walter Summers, for raising. Candelora raised the flag as the national anthem was played. David Berezovske read the military record of Parry. The ceremony ended with a silent salute to all veterans. Summers thanked all those in attendance for their participation in the ceremony.
Ann Ray Begis carried the American flag to the ceremony and the rifle escort was provided by Andrew Bubnis and Candelora. William Begis also provided traffic control. Also participating in the ceremony was John Kuzo.
The next flag ceremony will be 1 p.m. Sunday, April 1 at Second and Oak streets when the flag will be raised in honor and memory of Mark Candelora, who served in the U.S. Army. Area veterans and the public are invited.