Charles Earl Parsons

Seaman First Class Charles Earl Parsons was born December 18, 1917, in Dole Run, Missouri. He had nine brothers and sisters, and his father owned a sawmill, which he would move from job to job. After quitting school, Charlie joined the CCC and served in Montana, then decided to go into the navy. He joined his brother, Loys, on the USS Houston, where he served until his death on March 1, 1942; Loys, by now on the Edsall, died the same day when his ship went down. Charlie liked to have a good time and enjoyed the boxing, wrestling, checkers and pinochle games on the Houston. He never married but lives on in the stories told about him to his nieces and nephews.