THE WALL OF FACES

Dear SSgt Donald Parks, Thank you for your service as an Infantry Operations & Intelligence Specialist. Your 84th birthday was this month, happy birthday. Saying thank you isn't enough, but it is from the heart. It is Lent, Passover and it’s spring. Time passes quickly. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness, especially now. Rest in peace with the angels.

I was on the Chinook when sergeant Parks was killed. I didn't know his name when it happened. It took me 50 years to find him on this web site. There hasn't been a day that goes by that I don't think about him. I thought finding out who he was would make a difference. It doesn't.

When we deployed from Schoefield Barracks Don and I were the only soldiers in our Co. who already had a tour in Nam ,Don infact was begining his 3rd and I was starting my second.We spent many good time on the north shore where he and his wife Monique shared a house with me.I was @ LZ Baldy when the Red Cross notified me of his death.

We have learned that Donald is now buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Wildwood, Sumter County,FL.

SSG Parks was NCOIC or our AN/MPQ-4A Counter Mortar Radar Section of the 1/14th Artillery during part of 1968. He was a soldier with on the ground combat experience and I can tell you that we were glad to have him in our radar unit. He was a "man's man" and we all respected his judgement especially in combat situations. We were very sorry to lose him when he was shot by a sniper with a 51 Caliber weapon while SSG Parks was returning to LZ Young with a badly needed power generator for our radar. SP5 Al Simms, Radar Mechanic.