Personal Narrative Film, Video Manuscript/Mixed Material Photo, Print, Drawing Ellison W. Parfitt Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: E Company, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Private First Class
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/4654
Affectionately known as Big Foot for his size 15 shoes, Ellison Parfitt was a modest infantryman. "Any stupid S.O.B. can carry a rifle," he notes, "and I'm one of them." But on June 6, 1944, he was wading ashore at Normandy with his commanding officer, General Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. The two men developed a close friendship, cut short when Roosevelt died suddenly of a heart attack a month after D-Day. Parfitt was well aware of his own role in history, recording on a discarded parachute all the places he would visit in Europe, including the newly liberated Paris.
Interview / Recording
Transcript
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Interview / Recording
Transcript
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Interview / Recording
Transcript
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Interview / Recording
Transcript
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Interview / Recording
Transcript
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About this Item
Title
- Ellison W. Parfitt Collection
Names
- Babcock, Robert O.
- Wheeler, Justin
- Blue Star Mothers / Amber Waves of Grain
- Parfitt, Ellison W.
Home State
- New York (State)
Headings
- - Parfitt, Ellison W.
- - World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Army.
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Status
- veteran
Service History
-
World War, 1939-1945
- Branch of Service: Army
- Unit of Service: E Company, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
- Location of Service:
- Highest Rank: Private First Class
- Dates of Service: 1942-1945
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran notes that he was the bodyguard for Brigadier General Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.
Materials
- Video: DVD [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2002-10-29; 1999-12-31)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of video recording (collected 2014-08-23)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/4654
Cite as
- Ellison W. Parfitt Collection (AFC/2001/001/4654), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- image
- online text
- video