HENRY PARHAM was a member of the U.S. Army’s 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion that stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, June 6, 1944. (File photo by J.L. Martello)
If there were anyone worthy of having a Veterans Administration community clinic named after them, it’s Henry Parham.
As former New Pittsburgh Courier reporter Christian Morrow wrote in a 2019 article, Parham was just 21 years old, a Private First Class, “when he and his fellow members of the U.S. Army’s 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion joined the third wave of troops storming Omaha Beach in Normandy (France) on D-Day, June 6, 1944. They were the first African American troops in the then-segregated armed forces to take part in the invasion of Hitler’s ‘Fortress Europe,’ an action that would end World War II in Europe in less than a year.”
Parham’s combat unit was the only Black unit to take part in the D-Day invasion. His unit protected Omaha Beach, which was one of five landing areas for the U.S. and its allies during the invasion. Parham and his unit stayed on the beach for 68 days, as his unit also protected the American aircraft that was responsible for bringing reinforcement and supplies to the troops.
“It was a scary thing. It was hard to take cover,” Parham told the Heinz History Center audience when he was honored there on June 6, 2019. “But we did it…I guess with the help of the good Lord.”
Parham was believed to be the last surviving member of his combat unit. Parham died on July 4, 2021, at age 99.
HENRY PARHAM, right, is pictured with World War II Veteran Joe Zimbicki, at an event celebrating D-Day at the Heinz History Center, June 6, 2019. (File photos by J.L. Martello)
The highly-decorated combat veteran, who later in his life became a messenger for the Courier, is being considered to having the newly-constructed Department of Veterans Affairs Community Clinic in Monroeville renamed in his honor. It would be called the “Henry Parham VA Clinic.” The clinic is next to the Monroeville Mall.
The bill was introduced by Senators John Fetterman and Bob Casey, and U.S. Reps. Summer Lee and Guy Reschenthaler on July 26.
“Designating the new VA Clinic as the Henry Parham Clinic is a tribute to the immense sacrifice made by our veterans, especially those like Henry Parham, who served as a member of the historic all-Black 320th Very Low Altitude Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion, the only Black combat unit and the only barrage balloon battalion to land on the beaches on D-Day.” said Rep. Lee, in a statement provided to the Courier. “As we honor Henry’s legacy, we also recognize the sacrifice of our veterans and their families and their service to our communities. This bill represents a solemn commitment to ensuring that that sacrifice is forever remembered. Let us continue to honor veterans like Henry and his wife, Ethel, who gave so much to our country, by providing them with the highest quality of care and support they deserve.”
Parham was courageous, battle-tested, and resilient. Historians have said Omaha Beach was where the most intense fighting occurred on D-Day and the following two months. Parham would find himself sleeping in a foxhole to avoid the target of German snipers.
“I was fortunate that I didn’t get hit,” Parham told the Tribune-Review. “I managed to survive with God’s strength and help.”
And about those barrage balloons that Parham operated…
They were filled with flammable hydrogen gas and carried heavy steel cables several hundred feet into the air to keep German aircraft from strafing the troops on the ground with machine gunfire. The cables could cut through wings and foul propellers, bringing the planes crashing to the ground.
Following Parham’s stay in the military, he moved to Pittsburgh in 1949, and worked as a machine operator for the Buncher Company. Upon his retirement, Parham worked for the Courier and was a dedicated volunteer at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center for decades. His wife, Ethel, also volunteered her time at the VA.
“Henry Parham is an American hero—fighting the Nazis on the beaches of Normandy as a member of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion,” said Rep. Reschenthaler, in a statement. “The longtime Pennsylvanian’s courage and strength in the face of adversity should live on as a shining example for future generations.”
Parham was a native of Emporia, Va., born on Nov. 15, 1921. He later moved to Richmond, Va., at age 17, and four years later, was drafted into the U.S. Army, and trained at Camp Tyson, in Tennessee. He left for England in 1943. One year later, D-Day occurred, deep in the heart of World War II.
“Honoring our veterans means cutting through the noise and getting things done for the people who put their lives on the line for us,” said Sen. Fetterman, the former Braddock mayor and Pa. Lieutenant Governor, in a statement. “Henry Parham not only served his country during his time in the Army, but also for decades after by volunteering. I am proud to lead this bill and recognize the service of a brave fellow Pennsylvanian by naming this clinic in his honor.”
Fellow Senator Casey added: “When he stormed the beaches of Normandy as part of the only all-Black combat unit to land on D-Day, Henry Parham believed he was simply doing what he was ‘supposed to do as an American.’ When Henry came home, he continued serving his fellow veterans and his nation, giving his time and energy at the VA in Pittsburgh. To call Henry a hero only begins to describe his selflessness and commitment to serving others, and renaming the VA clinic in Monroeville in his honor is one small way to ensure his actions are never forgotten.”
About Post Author
