Chick Parsons – Our Man In Manila
Charles Thomas Parsons Jr. was born in 1900 in Shelbyville, Tennessee, but his family moved frequently to avoid creditors. When young Charles was 5, his mother sent him to Manila for a more stable life with her brother, a public health official in the American-run government. The boy received his elementary education speaking Spanish at the Santa Potenciana School, a Catholic school founded in the 16th century.
He returned to Tennessee as a teenager and graduated from Chattanooga High School. He sailed back to the Philippines as a merchant marine seaman in the early 1920s and shortly got himself hired as a stenographer for Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, a hero of the Spanish-American War On January 2, 1942, the Japanese Army marched into Manila unopposed.
Parsons retreated—only so far as his house on Dewey Boulevard, where he burned his uniforms and any other evidence that he was a United States Navy officer. But he held on to his Panamanian flag. Because of his experience in shipping and port operations, Panama’s foreign minister had named him the country’s honorary consul general to the Philippines. While the occupation authorities ordered that the 4,000 Americans in Manila be detained at the University of Santo Tomas, they left Parsons, his wife and their three children alone, believing he was a diplomat from Panama, a neutral country.
For the next four months, speaking only Spanish in public and flashing his diplomatic credentials whenever necessary, Parsons collected strategic information, including Japanese troop strengths and the names and locations of American prisoners of war
After the Jimmy Doolittle raid on Tokyo, the Japanese Army’s feared Kempeitai military police retaliated by rounding up all non-Asian men—including Parsons, diplomatic immunity be damned. They were thrown into a stone dungeon at Fort Santiago, the 350-year-old fortress within Intramuros, the colonial walled city where Chick had lived and played as a child.
After being tortured for 5 days, he was sent to the hospital with kidney problems. Still believing that Parson’s was Panama’s consul, him and his family were allowed to leave. By the time the Parsons family reached New York on August 27, the Navy had lost track of Chick—he was listed as missing in action.
When MacArthur received word that his old friend was not MIA, he called Washington: “SEND PARSONS IMMEDIATELY.” Within a month, Chick was on a submarine headed for Mindanao. He gauged the guerrillas’ strength, established ground rules and united the Christian and Muslim fighters for a common effort of defense.
11 November 1943, Parsons was aboard another sub, the USS Narwhal, and delivered more food, medicine, weaponry and additional radio transmitters to expand the network of coastal watch stations.
By February 1944, Parson infiltrated the Philippines for 3rd time to continue keeping the guerrillas supplied as well as ferrying more than 400 American and foreign nationals to safety.
12 October 1944, a Catalina ‘Black Cat’ delivered Parsons and Lt.Col. Frank Rawolle of the 6th Army Special Intelligence. For 4 days they sent coded messages back to HQ and warned the guerrillas to pull back off the beaches. The Navy launched the main invasion on 20 October and the guerrillas joined up with the invading US Army.
Peter parsons, son, said his father took but a few seconds to return to his prewar life and get back in business. He remembered his father smiling and waving as a ship brought the family back to Manila as though nothing had happened. We called him “Iron Man.”
Chick Parsons died in Manila on the afternoon of May 12, 1988, during his siesta. He was 88. His sons—Peter, Michael, Patrick and Joe—gathered for a funeral service there, and they laid him to rest in a grave next to Katsy, who had died eight years before. “He was hardly ever sick in his whole life,” Peter Parsons said. “When he died he was asleep”
This story was condensed from an article by Peter Eisner for the Smithsonian Magazine. To read the complete story…
Click on images to enlarge.
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Military Humor –
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Farewell Salutes –
Frank Amaral – Smithfield, RI; US Army, WWII
Haig Arakelian – Panama City, FL; US Army, WWII / US Air Force (Ret.)
Earl Baugh – Searcy, AR; US Navy, WWII, SeaBee
Tony Holbrook – Ontario, CA; US Army Air Corps, WWII
William Kunkel – NYC, NY; US Air Force, Korea
Catherine Murray (100) – Ft. Lauderdale, FL; USMC, WWII, MSgt. (ret.), 1st woman to retire from the Marine Corps
John Revill – Swanwick, ENG; British Army, WWII, ETO
Charles Saccamdo – Springfield, IL; US Army, 11th Airborne Division
Pearl Spurr – Bradford, CAN; CW Army Corps, WWII
Frank Wilkins Jr. – Georgetown, DE; US Army Air Corps, WWII, Captain, 599/397/9th Air Force
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Posted on January 25, 2018, in Uncategorized, WWII and tagged Fort Santiago, History, Military, Military History, Parsons, Philippines, Spy, Tributes, veterans, WW2, WWII. Bookmark the permalink. 132 Comments.
Reblogged this on Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News.
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Thank you, Ned.
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I tried to decipher the instructions on reblog but it still won’t work. I never used Press This so I got curious and tried that. I did it from Subli and it posted on my main blog but I have to type the title and it only showed via whatever. So you have to click that and then it directs you back to Subli and then to continue to the original post. I tested it first with my other blog and it’s the only way you can reblog. What a pain in the neck that is.
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I understand. Hopefully they will fix it.
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my salute and gratitude to this unsung hero. know that men like him are remembered with fondness here in the philippines.
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It warms my heat to hear that, thank you. I know from the 11th Airborne’s newspaper, “The Voice of the Angels”, that they are still involved with Los Banos.
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Another of these people who during the wartime led charmed lives!
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There are some people you just can’t hold down, I figure. He never looked for fame or recognition, just did what he thought was right.
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And did it with distinction!
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🙂
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A terrific story, I knew nothing about this man.
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Quite a story, eh? With Hollywood having so little imagination these days, you’d think they’d have a movie about this man, don’t you?!
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Thanks GP. for bringing to light the story of this little known hero. And RIP Mort Walker, you sure brought a laugh to a lot of military men over the years.
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I’m glad you liked the article, Don, AND enjoyed old Bailey – he is a treasure, isn’t he?!!
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Always a pleasure to read great stories about such persons! The picture with the dungeon is impressive! Cătălin
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Isn’t it though. And to think, this is modern-day and all cleaned up.
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You have a great gift for bringing your reports to life; wish history had always been made so interesting.
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Thank you, Maureen. I started by wanting a chronicle of my father’s wartime, and while researching, I found most historians jumped around date-wise in telling the story – that became complicated and aggravating (to me). So, this is basically how my style developed as I went along. The more the readers asked for, the more research I did!!
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Calling him Iron Man was an understatement.
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That’s how I felt about him too, haha!!
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What an inspirational story. Some people truly are special; they seem made up of sterner stuff than many of us.
As always happens, there was the odd detail in the narrative that caught my attention. I grew up in Iowa, and when we traveled to visit relatives in Kansas City during the summer, we often would be passed by military convoys on their way to Fort Leonard Wood. It was just a name to me — until I read this story, and realized that Leonard Wood was the name of a man, and not of a forest!
And then there’s this: my father was named Lavern, but his nickname was Chick. I wonder where that nickname came from? I’ve never heard it applied to anyone outside that generation.
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Being that Mr. Parsons was raised in the P.I. until high school, he spoke Spanish. The historian belies it may have come from ‘chico’. As far as I know, it is a nickname for boys named Charles, just as in Chad, Chuck, Chas, etc. Had your dad got it, must be some inside story there. Is his middle name Charles?
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No, he didn’t have a middle name. I never thought to ask him, and my mother wasn’t sure. She just knew that was what he was called. When I suggested to her that he was called “Chick” because he liked chasing the “chicks,” she just giggled.
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I guess we’ll never know. Some nicknames pop up from a one-time incident and just seem to stick.
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His name of “Iron Man” is completely appropriate. What a powerhouse! Great story, GP, thanks for the inspiration.
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Can you just imagine his sons trying to live up to that image?! 🙂
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I agree! This story would make a great movie!
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Reblogged this on John Cowgill's Literature Site.
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Thank you very much for being interested in this wonderful generation!
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You are very welcome.
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One wonders how one man can do and achieve so much; I also wonder whether they were a dying race, a race apart, they certainly appeared to be superhuman
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I also feel that a generation with those attributes would be hard to duplicate, but we do tend to overlook the bad apples (which every generation has). Thanks for reading, Beari!!
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Always read GP; don’t always comment; never miss your posts
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I know what you mean, Beari!! I always feel behind schedule and in a race with time – or – I just can’t quickly think of something to say. The trials and tribulations of getting old I suppose.
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you’re still a young bloke GP. in heart if not in body
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It’s the only way to fly, Beari!
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Incredible story, GP. Chick Parsons. a honorable soldier and family man! Love to read stories like this. Christine
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I’m glad you found it interesting, Christine, he was quite a man!
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That is one great fascinating story gp, wonder if his exploits have ever been recorded in book form.
Cheers.
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There has been, “MacArthur’s Emissary: Chick Parsons and the Secret War in the Philippines in WWII”
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/MacArthurs-Emissary/Travis-Ingham/9781495308802
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PS> HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!!
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Thanks mate
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A good story with a happy ending. I like it. –Curt
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It’s always great to find one of THOSE to post!!
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🙂
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Isn’t it often the case that it’s the quiet ones who were the real heroes.
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True – they’re busy thinking, not running their gums about every little complaint.
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great military humor
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Beetle bailey is a favorite around here.
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Reblogged this on KCJones.
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Thank you, Penny. This man was a true Star!
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Excellent story, GP. Thanks.
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Thank you, Mr. Parsons was one in a million.
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He certainly was.
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Charles Parsons’ was a real American hero. He deserves a film about his life!
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We are all in agreement on that one, John – now – how do get Hollywood to do it?
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Great story of a brave man. So strange that he was imprisoned where he had played as a child.
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The Intramuras area was the main section of Manila, so I guess it was inevitable, but at least he survived.
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Quite an amazing individual.
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You said it, Terry.
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Reblogged this on Truth Troubles.
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Thank you very much.
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An excellent story of one of the many heroes that I had no knowledge of. I very much enjoyed the read Sir so I am going to reblog it for you.
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Not many people have heard of Mr. Parsons, but he was a star to be remembered!
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Blimey what a star! Thanks for sharing.
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My pleasure. His modesty has practically driven him and his deeds into oblivion and forgotten.
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Wow! What an incredible story! I followed the link and read the entire article. Only a few men like this come around very often, but it seems like they are here when they’re needed most.
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Isn’t that story something else?!! Hollywood and TV programmers are always so lacking for original material that they make sequels and remakes constantly – I wish they’d check us bloggers out – they have data for years to come – right?!!
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Amen!!!
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Very interesting. Tough men and families back then. It seems to be the Wild West of the 20th century.
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Yup, maam. You had to pull yerself up by the bootstraps in any way ya could to survive!! 🙂
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Another amazing, heroic, story
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Those times brought out the best and the worst – what should we say about the current times?
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Perhaps we need a common enemy. There are a few contenders working on it
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Isn’t THAT the truth!!
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What a great story! I’ll hang on to my Panamanian flag too, just in case.
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You never know!!
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Wow! Interesting story of a hero. I concur with someone else’s comment that the story should be a movie.
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And I second (third?) that motion!! 🙂
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Great story, keep me reading. Well done
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There is so much more to his story, it’s a shame that to save space I had to eliminate so much! Glad you found it interesting.
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yes, It was very well written
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Why do you have to save space?
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I can only have the space WP gives me. If I subscribe to more, who will pay for it to be kept online after I’m gone?
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Got it. 😉
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Great story. I love how he fooled the Japanese into thinking he was a Panamanian diplomat. Though he was kind of lucky he wasn’t shot for being a spy.
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He was very lucky! It sure helped that grew up speaking Spanish, so to the Japanese, he was quite possibly a Panamanian diplomat!!
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Reblogged this on Subli and commented:
A must read for Filipinos and WWII fans.
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Talk about a role model, eh?!! Thank you.
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SUPPLIED BY SCLM Rose:
I don’t know much about weaponry but I came across ‘Paltik” today while reading MacArthur’s Emissary which you might be interested. Here’s the excerpts:
Chick Parsons found an ally in Colonel Courtney Whitney who was thoroughly in approval of the guerilla movement and its aims. Colonel Whitney proceeded to devote all his energies to securing the stuff needed for the guerrillas. Signal equipment, powerful enough to reach Australia, light enough to be transported quickly in an emergency. Small copper stills for the extraction of alcohol from the coconut palm and the gabi root. Hundred of carbines – the weapon whose lightness and rapid fire power had been found ideal for the jungle fighters. Ammunition and spare parts for both new guerrilla weapons and their old ones – the Enfields, Springfields, Jap rifles, and paltiks.
“Now, what in hell is a paltik?” inquired the colonel when Chick first confronted him with the word.
“The paltik,” Chick explained with a smile, “is a homemade shotgun. You take a wooden stock, chisel out a groove, and fit into it a water pipe, reinforced at one end by copper wire or adhesive tape. Sink a nail at the base of the groove with the point out. Insert a shotgun shell into the pipe. Aim the thing in the general direction of a Jap – and pull the pipe back against the nail. Simple!”
The colonel threw up his hands.
“Sounds a lot more dangerous to the user than to the enemy.”
“Oh, sometimes it backfires, but by and large the paltik is more effective than you might think. Many of the guerrillas swear by it.”
“Shotgun shells loaded with Double-O pellets for the paltiks. Bolts, triggers, hammers to replace worn-out parts on outmoded rifles.” Colonel Whitney sighed. “I’ll be glad when you’ve weaned your guerrillas to the carbine and tommy gun, Chick.”
“So will I,” Chick agreed.
I warned you I don’t know anything about firearms. This conversation between Colonel Whitney and Commander Chick Parsons went over my head. In spite of that, I’ll continue reading the book. It’s fascinating.
You may want to use this aspect of weaponry in your future post.
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I’ve been thinking of paltik since I sent you this. The only thing that came into mind is a slingshot. Obviously that is not it.
Anyway, I finished MacArthur’s Emissary and thoroughly enjoyed the book. What an incredible job he did to prepare Leyte for MacArthur’s return. He must have a charmed life. Never carry a weapon and went through with his mission successfully. If not for his work with the guerilla-soldiers and his contacts, I doubt it if the American would be able to accomplish what they did in Leyte.
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Quite possible, but I thought the fighting was rougher on Luzon where the Japanese were so well dug into the tunnel networks.
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Come to think of it, you are right. The battle for Manila was brutal and the events leading to it from the north and the south were heavily fought on both sides. Plus the atrocities done to the civilians were just horrible. I found my book The Battle for Manila. I thought I read it before but apparently not the whole book. Maybe snippets here and there.
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I can’t even try to imagine what it was like.
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So am I and your father was right in the middle of it. I’m really grateful for what he did for us. He must be having nightmare after the war was over.
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I must admit, I never heard him cry out or mumble in his sleep, but he really wouldn’t tell me much. He’d basically only talk about the war with other military personnel.
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They don’t want to relive those painful memories. The Greatest Generation did not talk about the war till their late years when we are all scrambling to know more about it before it gets lost in time. Glad you are keeping this blog alive.
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I’m doing my best Rose. Couldn’t do it without help from people like you!
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What a great story! … and, it was good to see “Beetle Bailey” again! 🙂
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Thank you. And Pvt. Bailey – A-One on my list!!
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Thanks for sharing this story. I went to the Smithsonian Magazine and read that too. He was an amazing, brave man and did an extraordinary service during the war. I never heard of him before this. I’m extremely grateful for his service to my country. Mabuhay!
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Thank you for doing that, Rosalinda! That was rather a long story, but so interesting!
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It’s rather long but I wanted to know more about him. Besides, MacArthur’s Spies, I also found out there is another book about him called MacArthur’s Emissary. I want to read them both. You got me hooked up on these things. This man is fascinating on what he did. Thoroughly enjoyed the story.
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If I get just one person curious enough to research on their own – then I have been a very successful person!! My dad would be proud.
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Well, You are. I will be reading both books. I got the Emissary on Kindle and the other one coming in the mail next week. Thanks.
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Enjoy!!
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Since it is too cold to garden outside, I’ll indulge myself with reading as many books as I can before it gets busy. I’m enjoying Emissary.
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What a story…and what a chap!
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Amen to that Helen!!
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Amazing story. What a courageous man to pass as Panamanian for all that time, endangering himself and his family, to serve his country.
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Actually by pretending to be a Panamanian diplomat, he probably saved all their lives, at least he got them out of there and back to the states. But yes, very courageous man!
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Parsons evidently had nerves of steel.
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He seemed to be that way no matter what the situation, a unique individual.
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Iron Man indeed. I have seen the Tyrone Power film, but never knew it was based on the life of Parsons. Once again, a great example of that tough generation that endured so much.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I can’t believe he kept going back. Mac always gave him the easy out, saying it wasn’t an order, but Parsons insisted. Takes guts.
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these are the stories our kids need to hear, to be taught in school and movies that need to be made. As always, thank you for sharing the forgotten stories of forgotten heroes.
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I feel honored to learn of these men and their feats, I agree that our younger generations need to learn of it too.
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You keep up the good fight!!!!
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I’m sure trying, Julie!!
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🙂
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Thank you for sharing the story of this outstanding gentleman, Michael!
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Thank you for honoring these persons. We should know and not forget. Michael
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It is my honor to be able to speak about them, Michael. So I appreciate you carrying them on your site as well!
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What a brave man he was. To go through that and keep returning – incredible.
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He felt he had to, it was his obligation. That takes a strong will certainly!! Thanks for reading.
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What a fantastic story. What a remarkable man. Thanks for sharing this.
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My pleasure. I feel just because he was a modest man, it should not mean his memory should fade away.
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What an amazing tale; now that WOULD make a good movie.
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The true story would be terrific! A film, ‘American Guerrilla in the Philippines’ Tyrone Power played Chuck Palmer, a fictional movie loosely based on Parsons. The 2 men did get to meet, but Parsons was not looking for fame as just faded from history. Parsons is also included in “MacArthur’s Spies”
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/macarthurs-spies-the-soldier-the-singer-and-the-spymaster-who-defied-the-japanese-in-world-war-ii_peter-eisner/13529573/#isbn=0525429654
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Thank you very much.
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