Ralph Parr

Ralph Sherman Parr, Jr. (July 1, 1924 – December 7, 2012) was an American double-flying ace of the Korean War. He was credited with a total of ten downed enemy aircraft. He also flew in World War II and the Vietnam War, and is the only person to have been awarded the US Army Distinguished Service Cross and the corresponding decoration used by the US Air Force once it became an independent branch of service, the Air Force Cross.

Parr was born in 1924, in Portsmouth, Virginia. His parents were Ralph Sherman Parr and May (Morrison) Parr. His father was a US Navy Commander who served in both World War I and World War II. One of his brothers was Warren Sherman Parr, a US Navy Rear Admiral.

He enlisted in the United States Army Reserve in 1942, earned his wings in 1944, and flew Lockheed P-38 Lightnings in the Pacific during the last year of the Second World War.

In Korea he flew Lockheed F-80 Shooting Stars, then North American F-86 Sabres, managing to shoot down a total of ten enemy aircraft. On July 27, 1953, the day of the armistice, then Captain Parr scored the last aerial 'kill' of the War by shooting down an unarmed Soviet Navy Ilyushin Il-12 transport aircraft. All 21 passengers including 3 medical staff were killed.

In Vietnam, Parr served as a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II squadron commander. He flew the aircraft on two combat tours, including one in which he saw action supporting the Battle of Khe Sanh. Following the war he took a number of desk assignments before retiring as a Colonel in 1976.

He died on December 7, 2012 at an assisted living facility in New Braunfels, Texas. He was 88.

Col Parr is the only person ever awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Air Force Cross

His personal awards are:

•   Air Force Cross (awarded for actions during the Vietnam War)
•   Distinguished Service Cross (awarded for actions during the Korean War)
•   Silver Star
•   Legion of Merit with 2 Bronze Palms (3rd award)
•   Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat "V", 1 Silver Palm and 4 Bronze Palms (10th award)
•   Bronze Star
•   Air Medal with 8 Silver Palms (41st award)
•   Air Force Commendation Medal
•   Army Commendation Medal

His unit and service awards are:

•   Presidential Unit Citation with 3 Bronze Palms (4th award)
•   Gallant Unit Citation (Air Force) with Combat "V", 1 Silver Palm and 1 Bronze Palm (7th Award)
•   Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with 1 Bronze Palm
•   Combat Readiness Medal
•   Army Good Conduct Medal
•   American Campaign Medal
•   Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 bronze campaign stars
•   World War II Victory Medal
•   Army of Occupation Medal
•   National Defense Service Medal with 1 bronze star (2d award)
•   Korean Service Medal with 1 silver star and 1 bronze star (7th award)
•   Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with 1 bronze star (2nd award)
•   Vietnam Service Medal with 1 silver star and 1 bronze star (7th award)
•   Air Force Longevity Service Award with 1 silver palm and 1 bronze palm (7th award)
•   Armed Forces Reserve Medal
•   Marksmanship_Ribbon (US Air Force Small Arms)
•   Philippine Liberation Medal with 2 bronze stars (3rd award)
•   Philippine Independence Medal (Note: this was on image of his ribon rack, but Wikipedia entry for the award states must have both Philippine Defense and Liberation Medal, Col Parr did not receive the Defense Medal)
•   Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Gold Star (cited at the Corps level)
•   Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal (2nd Class Note: This was on image of his ribbon rack, but as an officer, he should have received the 1st Class medal)
•   Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
•   Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation
•   United Nations Service Medal
•   Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
•   Republic of Korea War Service Medal