WALKING TALL AMONGST MEN
Henry was born in Greenville, Virginia. He grew up on a farm in the still segregated south of the USA – under the Jim Crow Laws.
He was working for the Porter Bus company in Richmond when he was drafted into the US Army in 1942. Henry never questioned the idea of fighting for his country.
Henry was sent to Camp Tyson in Tennessee for training, where he spent a few months. The barracks were segregated – one side white, the other side black. Henry and his fellow black trainees were treated as second class citizens.
He was transferred to the ‘320th VLA(Very Low Altitude) Anti-Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion’, who were entirely made up of black soldiers. They were sent to fight in Europe.
The unit were sent into action on D-Day. They were the only all-black outfit involved in the invasion of Normandy. They were split into two, half being sent to Utah Beach, half to Omaha. Henry was sent to the latter.
The men waited a long time before disembarking – he remembered, “Bobbing about for hours.”
To land on Omaha Beach (as part of the very first wave of troops), Henry had to wade ashore from his boat, with the water right up to his neck and his heavy equipment pack on his back, holding his rifle above his head. “It was awful. It was a scary thing, but it was one of those things you had to do because there was no turning back.”
They were sent off the landing boat by a white officer waving a pistol in their faces. He told them he didn’t trust them and would shoot anybody who wouldn’t get into the sea.
“We went down the ramp into neck deep water. Some of the guys drowned. I helped carry one…We staggered onto the shore, which was littered with bodies and body parts, mines and obstacles. A few men went crazy when they hit the beach – paralyzed by the fear.”
Henry also remembered the sound of bullets whizzing past his ears, always expecting one to hit him.
On the beach, the men had to dig their own foxholes. Henry dug his too close to the water and it quickly filled up. “I didn’t know whether to lay there and drown or jump up and take my chances getting shot.”
The aim was for them to put up barrage balloons anchored with steel cables to prevent low-flying German planes from attacking the Allied soldiers on the beach. The fighting around them was so intense that the 320th couldn’t put up the balloons immediately, so Henry helped other men out of the sea and he also assisted with the unloading of equipment. They were strafed and bombarded the whole time – “Like sitting ducks”, Henry said later.
His faith in God helped him persevere throughout the ordeal.
They managed to get twelve balloons up by the following day. The Germans destroyed a couple of them, but they were successfully replaced. “Every balloon improved the safety of the soldiers landing on the beach.”
You can see the balloons in any action photograph of Omaha Beach in June 1944. They ultimately caused the downing of 73 planes.
The 320th were stuck on the beach for 68 days as the rest of the army advanced. At no point were they able to change their clothing.
In total, the 320th were in France for 140 days before being returned to England. General Eisenhower praised them for the ‘splendid manner’ in which they carried out their duties – “A mission with courage and determination, proving to be an important element of the air defence team.”
The contribution of the 320th was not reported by any of the American press.
The unit were told that they were to be sent to the Pacific after VE Day, but their transport was delayed due to mechanical problems. By the time it was fixed, the Japanese had surrendered.
Demobbed, Henry went home. He got no hero’s welcome, and he just returned to his old job. Nevertheless, he had earned great respect from the local black community.
In 1949, he moved to Pittsburgh in search of a better life. The GI Bill enabled him to train as a machine operator, a job he did for the rest of his working life.
In 1963, he married Ethel and they moved to Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania.
Henry was a very quiet man with a large, bellowing laugh.
He joined the American Legion and in retirement became a volunteer for them.
In old age recognition came at last. In 2013, France awarded Henry the Legion d’Honneur.
His service was also recognized by the House of Representatives. Ethel said, “It was a long time coming. He had a really bad experience while he was in the service. I admire his courage and sacrifice – and he’s my hero.”
Henry died aged 99 of bladder cancer. He was the last surviving African American combat veteran from D-Day.
The Mayor of Wilkinsburg acknowledged, “I think Mr. Parham did something really special.”
Henry was buried with full military honours and the funeral service was conducted by a pastor of the American Legion who said, “He walked tall amongst men.”
Henry’s wife,Ethel, also spoke at his funeral. “He lived a good life. He was well taken care of, and we travelled and had a beautiful life. Thank God he lived long enough to get these accolades. He deserved it.”
Henry had never sought recognition and just considered he was doing his duty (although he was delighted when it came). “It’s great to know I was part of the liberation. It makes me feel great.”
RIP – Removing Irritating Planes
