George Fountain Parrott was an officer in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

 during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

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Biography

Born at Falling Creek, Lenoir County, North Carolina

Lenoir County, North Carolina

-Demographics:As of 2005, there were 57,961 people, 23,862 households, and 16,178 families residing in the county. The population density was 149.2 people per square mile . There were 27,940 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile...

, George Fountain Parrott was the 3rd of 7 children born to George Franklin and Julia Bizzell Parrott, and was first cousin to Marion A. Parrott

Marion A. Parrott

Marion Arendell Parrott was an American lawyer.-Early years and wartime activities:Marion Arendell Parrott was the second son of William Thomas and Jeanette Johnson Parrott from Kinston, North Carolina, and a first cousin to George Parrott...

. His maternal grandfather, Fountain Bizzell, had served in Company G, North Carolina 55th Infantry Regiment. George attended first the Kinston Graded School, then the Rhodes Military Institute, and finally graduated from the Oak Ridge Institute in North Carolina. He was able to attend the US Naval Academy after having been appointed from the 2nd North Carolina district by the Hon. Claude Kitchin

Claude Kitchin

Claude Kitchin was a U.S. Congressional Representative from North Carolina and floor leader of his party in the House during the 64th, 65th, and 67th Congresses....

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Parrott was appointed Midshipman

Midshipman

A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...

 3 July 1906 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

, class of 1911. He was promoted to the rank of Ensign March, 1912; Lt. Jr. grade March, 1914; Lt. Sr. grade April, 1917; and Lieutenant Commander

Lieutenant Commander

Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...

 August, 1918.

He was the executive officer on the USN Shaw (DD–68)

USS Shaw (DD-68)

USS Shaw was a in the United States Navy during World War I. She was later transferred to the United States Coast Guard as CG-22....

 in the English Channel

English Channel

The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...

. The "Shaw's own ordeal came on 9 October 1918. While escorting the giant British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 transport, Aquitania

RMS Aquitania

RMS Aquitania was a Cunard Line ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. She was launched on 21 April 1913 and sailed on her maiden voyage to New York on 30 May 1914...

, Shaw's rudder jammed just as she was completing the right leg of a zigzag, leaving her headed directly towards the transport. A moment later, Aquitania struck Shaw, cutting off 90 feet of the destroyer's bow, mangling her bridge and setting her on fire". Lt. Parrott was killed during the accident. He is a recipient of the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

 and listed on the World War I Honor Roll and on the Tablets of The Missing at the American Cemetery and Memorial section of Brookwood Cemetery

Brookwood Cemetery

Brookwood Cemetery is a burial ground in Brookwood, Surrey, England. It is the largest cemetery in the United Kingdom and one of the largest in western Europe.-History:...

 in Brookwood, Surrey

Surrey

Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...

 County, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

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