Parkerson Biography

Harvey E. Parkerson, III

Born	May 14, 1977, Phoenix, Maricopa Co., Arizona
Died	August 18, 2004, Najaf, Al Anbar Provence, Iraq
Service Branch	Marines
Rank	Sergeant
Rating or Job
Unit	1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
Campaign	Iraq, Two Tours
Military Citations	Purple Heart
Honors
Family	Wife: Amanda English Parkerson Sons: Harvey Parkerson IV, Mathew Parkerson
Notes	Buried: Paradise Cemetery, Paradise, CA Plot: Alta Vista Row N, plot 9 Cenotaph only in Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma, California
Sources	Bill Edmiston
Mementos	Harvey Parkerson III had two very different roles in his life. He was the battle-toughened Marine thoroughly dedicated to serving in a war zone. And he was the tender, doting dad who sent his wife a stream of love letters from Iraq. "He said he had a job to do," said his wife, Amanda. "He felt like he was making a difference. But he saw it as an honor and not just a job." The 27-year-old Marine Corps sergeant was killed Aug. 18 in action in Najaf, Iraq, the Department of Defense said. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Pendleton. When he was off duty or on leave, Parkerson couldn't get enough of his two sons, 11-month-old Harvey Parkerson IV and 6-year-old Matthew (from a previous relationship). Parkerson, of Oceanside, Calif., had planned to make a career in the Marine Corps. "It was a dream of his since he was a little boy. He loved the military life," his wife said, adding that his father served as a Marine during the Vietnam War. It was Parkerson's second tour of duty in Iraq. He served there from January to September 2003, coming home a day after his son Harvey was born. Parkerson's battalion was redeployed there in May. "He wrote me a lot of love letters, beautiful letters, all the time," said his wife, whom he married in November 2002. "He didn't [write] about the conditions in Iraq. He never complained." Parkerson was born in Arizona and lived in the Marysville area of Northern California. He graduated from high school in Orland, Calif., where he was on the campus wrestling team, his wife said. After high school, he had to wait for a lingering wrestling injury to mend before he could join the Marines in February 1999. "He had to apply several times, but he couldn't wait," his wife said. "He was so dedicated to what he did. My husband is my hero and my son's hero." In addition to his wife and children, Parkerson is survived by his father and stepmother, Harvey and Nancy Parkerson Jr. of Marysville; his mother and stepfather, Lori and Tony Moreno of Orland; two brothers; and two sisters. Burial will be at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery in Point Loma, Calif. Los Angeles Times, Aug 24, 2004. --- A graveside service is planned at 11 a.m. Monday at Ft. Rosecran National Cemetery near San Diego for Marine Corps Sgt. Harvey Emmett Parkerson III, 27, of Camp Pendleton, who died during conflict August 18, 2004, in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. A public memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. September 6th at the Glenn County Fairgrounds in Orland, his hometown. He was born May 14, 1977, in Phoenix, Ariz. In 1979, at the age of two, he moved to Orland with his parents. He attended Mill Street, Fairview and C.K. Price and Orland High School. As a high school freshman, he was a winner in a math field day event at Chico State University, and was involved in Future Farmers of America. He also enjoyed youth sports and excelled at wrestling. He was involved in the school's wrestling team all four years, competing in the 125 pound weight class. During his junior year, he compiled 14 wins and 14 losses in varsity wrestling, came in second in the Westside League and earned a varsity letter in wrestling. In his senior year, he had 14 wins and 10 losses, and came in third at the annual Red Bluff tournament. During his high school years, he developed a great interest in the military, and decided to become a Marine. He graduated from high school in 1996, and entered the Marines in 1998. He went through boot camp with his brother, Bennie. He was stationed at Camp Pendleton and was lastly assigned to Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. He served in Afghanistan before being assigned to Iraq. In November 2002, he married Amanda English in Las Vegas. He is survived by his wife, Amanda Parkerson of El Centro; two sons, Matthew Glen Parkerson of Marysville and Harvey Emmett Parkerson IV of El Centro; his mother and her husband, Lori and Tony Moreno of Orland; and his father and his wife, Harvey E. and Nancy Parkerson Jr. of Marysville. He is also survived by his brothers, Bennie Parkerson of Orland and Robert Parkerson of Marysville; and his sisters, Amanda Beth Moreno of Orland and Michelle Whitehurst of Southern California; his paternal grandfather, Harvey Parkerson Sr. of Oroville; and maternal grandfather, Ben Shelton of San Jose; aunts, Lisa Esobar of Sacramento and Delores Parkerson of Paradise; uncles Matthew Shelton of San Jose, Joe Parkerson and John Sanders, both of Arizona; and other aunts and uncles. He was preceded in death by grandmothers Opal Sanders and Mary Shelton. The Doc Petersen Memorial Wrestling Tournament, to be held at Orland High School in December, will be dedicated to Harvey. Contributions may be made to the Orland High School wrestling team. Checks should be made out to the Orland Take Down Club, c/o Orland High School, 101 Shasta St., Orland 95963. Published in Chico Enterprise-Record on August 26, 2004.