Posted 7 years ago
flashlarue
(272 items)
These photos are signed Ben Parker '43. I know a lot of Hollywood film crews enlisted and were used to film for the U.S Army. I am guessing Ben Parker was a cameraman or part of the camera crew enlisted in the Army Air Corps. Does anyone recognize him or know who he was?
The movie camera is a Mitchell NC Standard.
Superb find !
I found about 20 "Ben Parker" listed in the database:
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/free-text-search-results.jsp?cat=WR26&bc=sl&q=ben+parker&btnSearch=Search&as_alq=&as_anq=&as_epq=&as_woq=
Take a look at the men listed. Some can be quickly eliminated due to enlisting AFTER 1943 or being African American.
The propaganda/ film making fell under the Army Air Corps. Here is the only guy listed in the AAC:
https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=929&mtch=1&cat=WR26&tf=F&q=ben+parker&bc=sl&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=278991
I initially thought the name represented the man pictured, but it MAY be indicative of the photographer. For this reason, I wouldn't use the man pictured estimated age as a determining factor.
scott
There were two Benjamin Parker enlisted in 1942 in Southern California born in 1917 and 1919. One of them was listed for the Air Corps. The requested branch of service on enlisted records is no promise of where the soldier ended up serving.
I don't understand the SoCal connection. And of course the initial enlistment branch could have changed.
Just providing you with a narrow field of possibles for further research.
scott
I am going on the assumption Ben Parker was working in the film industry in Hollywood prior to enlisting in the Army. This would account for the older age. Also like the Hollywood directors who entered the Army as officers a skilled cameraman could enter the Army as a sergeant.