The following article was found in the February 4, 1943, Lowell Tribune on page 2, column 1:
Selected for Pilot Training
A letter received by the Maurice Parmleys from the Commanding Officer at Santa Ana army air base, Santa Ana, Calif., informs them that their son, Miles E. Parmley, has been selected by the classification board for pilot training. He will soon be transferred to one of the west coast army air force training centers and then will begin his pilot training.
The following April 22, 1943, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:
Completes Pre-flight Training
Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Parmely received word that their son, Miles, had completed his pre-flight training at army air base at Santa Ana, Calif., and has been transferred to Ryan Field, Hemmet, Calif., where he will receive his primary training. Ryan Field, one of the finest air bases in the west, is located in the mountains east of Los Angeles.
This February 24, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 2:
Lt. Miles E. Parmely, son of the Maurice Parmelys, west of Lowell, has completed the pilot transition four-engine course at Hobbs army air field, Hobbs, New Mexico, acording to the announcement of Col. Joseph P. Bailey, commanding officer at Hobbs Field.
Lt. Parmely was commissioned as second Lieutenant and received his pilots wings at Douglas Field, Ariz., on Nov. 11, 1943.
Completion of his transition training at Hobbs army air field qualifies Lt. Parmely as a combat pilot, another young American qualified to meet any Axis challenge.
The following June 22, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, column 1:
Arrives Safely in England
A letter received by the Maurice Parmelys Tuesday from their son, Lt. Miles E. Parmely, with the air corps, informed them that he had arrived safely in England, and was getting along fine.
The following Sept. 28, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1 column 6:
Lt. Miles Parmley Reported Missing In Action
Word was received last Saturday by Ms. Miles Parmley that her husband, Lt. Miles Parmley, was missing in action somewhere in France. A command pilot of a B17 bomber and command pilot of his flight squadron, Lt. Parmley was without doubt on a mission over enemy territory when his plane was either forced down, or shot down by the enemy.
Lt. Parmley enlisted in the air corps June 17, 1942 and was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation from flight school. He left for overseas duty the last of May, flying his own plane across the Atlantic, and landed in England in June. He was commissioned a first lieutenant on August 11th.
A graduate of Lowell high school with the class of 1940, he is well known here. His wife and his parents, the Maurice Parmleys, anxiously await further word from the war department.
The following October 26, 1944, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1 column 5:
More News Received On Missing Flyer
Two letters have been received concerning Lieut. Miles E. Parmley, who was reported missing several weeks ago. The letters were both written to his wife, who lives with her parents at Brunswick. The first was from the war department, stating that he was a member of the crew of a B-17 on a bombing mission to Brest, France, on Sept. 3rd. Reports said that the Lieutenant's plane was hit by flak over Guernsey Island, France, and shortly thereafter the disabled plane made a crash landing in the English Channel. An air rescue search was made but no trace of the plane had been found.
The second letter came from a close friend of Miles, Lt. John Patzel, who said he was not on the mission with him, but it was considered an easy one, with enemy defense both at the target and enroute at a minimum. Patzel said he was informed that the ship was hit by flak and one engine caught fire. Not being able to stay with the formation, Miles left it. The fire had been put out and the ship was under control in a slow descent, which was verified by ships returning to the base.
Both writers said that any further information would be sent immediately to his wife, and his parents, the Maurice Parmleys.
This Lowell Tribune article was found in the September 13, 1945, issue (page 1, column 1):
LOWELL FLYER REPORTED KILLED OVER EUROPE
NO MORE HOPE OF FIRST LIEUT. MILES E. PARMELY RETURN, SAYS WAR DEPT.
Hope which has been held for the safe return of 1st Lieut. Miles E. Parmely, son of the Maurice Parmelys, west of Lowell, faded Tuesday when his mother received a letter from the War Department declaring him officially dead after being listed as missing in action for over a year. The letter follows:
Dear Mrs. Parmely:
Since your son, First Lieutenant Miles E. Parmely, 0759292, Air Corps, was reported missing in action 3 September 1944, the War Department has entertained the hope that he survived and that information would be revealed dispelling the uncertainty surrounding his absence.However, as in many cases, the conditions of warfare deny us such information. The record concerning your son shows that he was a crew member of a B-17 (Flying Fortress) airplane, which was hit by enemy antiaircraft fire while over the Channel Islands, and was forced to come down in the English Channel while on a combat mission to Brest, France.
Full consideration has recently been given to all available information bearing on the absence of your son, including all records, reports and circumstances. These have been carefully reviewed and considered. In view of the fact that twelve months have now expired without the receipt of evidence to support a continued presumption of survival, the War Department must terminate such absence by a presumptive finding of death. Accordingly, an official finding of death has been recorded under the provisions of Public Law 490, 77th Congress, approved March 7, 1942, as amended.
The finding does not establish an actual or probable date of death, however, as required by law, it includes a presumtive date of death for the termination of pay and allowences, settlement of accounts and payment of death gratuities. In the case of your son this date has been set as 4 September 1945, the day following the expiration of 12 months' absence.
I regret the necessity for this message but trust that the ending of a long period of uncertainty may give at least some small measure of consolation. I hope you may find sustaining comfort in the thought that the uncertainty with which war has surrounded the absence of your son has enhanced the honor of his service to his country and his sacrifice.
Sincerely yours,
Edward F. Witsell,
Major General
Memorial services for Lt. Parmely will be held at Lake Prairie Presbyterian church, Sunday, September 23, at 2 o'clock p.m.
This October 4, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 1, column 2:
Miss Marilyn Parmely of St. Louis and Mr. and Mrs. L.L. Sollitt of Dodge City, Kansas, who came to attend memorial services for the late Lt. Miles Parmely, have returned to their respective homes after a few days visit at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Parmely.
Another article from the same issue of the paper appears on page 6, columns 1-2:
OBITUARY
Miles Edward Parmely was born in Urbana, Ill., on July 24, 1922. He spent his early childhood there, and attended one year of school at Lincoln school in that city. At the age of seven years he moved with his parents to a farm near Lowell, attending Lake Prairie grade school and Lowell district high school, from which he was graduated in 1940. One semester at Purdue university completed his education.
He enlisted in the army air forces as an aviation cadet on June 17, 1942. He was inducted in July and called into service in December, 1942. After nine months of pilot training in the Western Training Area, he was awarded his silver wings and commissioned a 2nd Lt. at Douglas, Arizona, Nov. 3, 1943.
While home on furlough he was united in marriage to Miss Dorothy Edna Ericson, who was with him during the remainder of his training.
After completing his training as a pilot of a B-17 bomber, he flew to England, leaving this country on May 26, 1944, and arriving there three days later.
After two months of combat flying he was sent on a bombing mission to Brest, France, from which he was destined never to return, and was reported missing on Sept. 3, 1944.
At an early age, Miles was baptized at the Lake Prairie church and later became a member of this church.
Memorial services were held at the Lake Prairie Presbyterian church on Sept. 23, 1945.
Card of Thanks
We wish to express out heartfelt thanks for the many acts of kindness and expressions of sympathy through our year of suspense and sorrow. They will always be remembered by us.
Mr. and Mrs. M.E. Parmely.
Marilyn, Paul, Jane, and
Mrs Dorothy Parmely
