PVT William Ebbie Parker

courtesy of Darlene Burkett

We believe that PVT William Ebbie Parker is the PVT William E. Parker noted in our morning reports. He was born 11 Dec 1924 in Benton, Illinois. He was the 2nd of 3 children and only son born to Joseph Leslie and Mary Belva (Flannigan) Parker. He was apparently called "Ebbie" by the family as that is how he appears on all the census documents. The family farmed in Hamilton county just east of Benton.

After entering the Army, probably in late 1943, Ebbie was sent to the European theater. On 27 Jul 1944 he was transferred from the replacement depot to K Company 116th Infantry to serve as a rifleman. PVT Parker was killed in action on 29 Jul 1944.

PVT Parker was repatriated and re-interred in the Masonic and Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton, Illinois. His older sister, Geneva, is buried next to him.