Info Sheet on Rudy Parris
Deceased 1 December 1985
see comments: Cary Bacon, Mike Olson, Ed Wolfe
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Parris, Rudy. CPT in D-3/4 Cav in 1969 – 1970. He left active duty in 1973. He returned to active duty as a warrant officer and was a CW3 at the time of his death. He was assigned to the 101st Abn Div at Ft Campbell.
Rudy was killed in the crash of Arrow Air Flight 1285 at Gander, Newfoundland on 12 Dec 1985. The flight was bringing 236 personnel from the 3d Bn, 502d Infantry and supporting units back from their 6 month assignment to the Multinational Force and Observers peacekeeping mission in the Sinai.
(Additional info is at http://www.vhpa.org/DAT/datP/D00396.HTM)
VHPA:
CPT Rudy Parris was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 12/01/1985 at the age of 40 (Exact date not known.) from Killed in an Arrow Air Airline crash when returning from rotation while on active duty.
Hopkinsville, KY
Flight Class 69-24
Date of Birth 05/02/1945
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with D/3/4 CAV 25 INF in 69-71
Call sign in Vietnam Centaur
From Cary J. Bacon, 6th Reunion VHPA
More detail on this person: I just had a wonderful telephone conversation with Malinda Parris. We covered many topics. I really have a good feeling inside after talking to her about Rudy & my serving with him in Nam. Rudy was killed in the crash in Gander Newfoundland in December of 1985. At that time he was a Warrant Officer CW3. I did not directly ask her about the CAV newsletter, but after talking with her I have no doubt they are still reading it. Malinda told me that their son, who is now 33 years old, has started learning more about his father & collecting items relevant to him & the Vietnam war. Among his most prized items of his father's is Rudy's flight helmet from Vietnam. I hope I am relating this correctly as I feel somewhat overcome with emotion. Rudy is buried at FT. Scott, Kansas cemetary near Pittsburg. I gave Malinda the website addressed for WAVV & centaurs.org & told her where she could find a picture of him. She comes up from Kentucky about once a year to Ft. Scott. I also gave her my e-mail address to stay in touch. When she comes to Wichita my wife & I are going to meet her to talk over dinner. I feel very honored to have visited with her especially after my long search trying to find Rudy.
From: Mike Olson D troop 3/4 Cav was Centaur. He was my section leader in Cobra Platoon D/3/4 during his 69-70 tour. He was RIF in 1973 and was able to rejoin as an Army Warrant Officer in late 70's or early 80's. In 1986, I contacted his home to learn than of his death on Arrow Air. Cary J. Bacon July 2000.
From Ed Wolfe: He was killed in the Gander DC-8 crash in 1985 but the accident report indicates an airframe icing problam and not terrorism. He was at the time a CW3.