PFC Lucien Parr

courtesy of Frogman

PFC Lucien Parr  was born 7 Jun 1924 in Manchester, New Hampshire. He was the 11th of 13 children, 12 of whom were boys, born to Alfred and Marie Louise (Lallier) Parr. Both parents were natives of the province of Quebec, Canada. Alfred worked for the Boston and Maine Railroad as an inspector. All the boys but the youngest, Renee, would grow up to work a trade in or around Hartford, Connecticut where the family moved soon after Lucien's birth. Renee died in 1930 at age 2, Marie died in 1933 and his father remarried in 1935 but he then died in 1939. All the children who were still at home went to live with their sister Anne and her husband. Lucien attended Hartford State Trade School and became an apprentice machinist as had several of his brothers.

Lucien was drafted in March 1943. After his basic military training he was sent to Europe. He was likely a good soldier as he had been promoted to PFC before being transferred from the replacement depot to I Company 116th Infantry on 16 Jun 1944. PFC Parr fought with I Company until killed in action on 12 Jul 1944 in the battle for Saint Lo.

PFC Parr rests forever in the Brittany American Cemetery.

3 of Lucien's brothers also served during the war and 2 survived.  CPL Raymond Alfred Parr was killed on 11 Aug 1944 while serving with the 7th Civil Affairs Unit and is also buried at the Brittany American Cemetery. Bertrand Alphonse Parr was drafted in January 1944 and served in the U.S. Army until May of 1946. Joseph Robert Parr served in the U.S. Navy as an MM3 1943-1946.