Sam Parish
{{Infobox military person
|name= Sam E. Parish
|image= Sam E. Parish.jpg
|image_size= 250
|alt=
|caption= Parish {{circa|1983}}
|nickname=
|birth_date= {{birth date and age|1937|10|2}}
|birth_place= Marianna, Florida, US
|death_date=
|death_place=
|placeofburial=
|allegiance=
|branch= United States Air Force
|serviceyears= 1955–1986
|rank= Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
|servicenumber=
|unit=
|commands=
|battles=
|awards= Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Meritorious Service Medal (4)
Air Force Commendation Medal
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
Sam E. Parish (born October 2, 1937) is a retired Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force who served as the 8th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from 1983 to 1986.
Early life
File:Sam Parish at Malmstrom.jpg
File:Sam Parish at Malmstrom 2.jpg
Parish was born in Marianna, Florida, and attended Malone High School. He joined the United States Air Force in December 1954.
Military career
Following basic military training, Parish was assigned to Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois, for training as a ground weather equipment operator where earned distinction as an honor graduate. His early assignments include Germany, Massachusetts, and Illinois. In March 1973, Parish graduated from the first class of the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Gunter Air Force Station, Alabama. One of his classmates was James M. McCoy, who in August 1979 would be appointed as one of Parish's predecessors as the sixth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. In August 1976, he began his third tour of duty in West Germany as sergeant major for the 36th Combat Support Group consolidated base personnel office at Bitburg Air Base, Germany. His career included tours as Senior Enlisted Advisor for 40th Air Division, US Air Forces in Europe, and Strategic Air Command.
Parish served as the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force from August 1983 to June 1986.
Awards and decorations
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Personal decorations |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Force Distinguished Service ribbon|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=60}}
|Legion of Merit with bronze oak leaf cluster |
| {{ribbon devices|number=3|type=oak|name=Meritorious Service ribbon|width=60}}
|Meritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Force Commendation ribbon|width=60}} |
| style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Unit awards |
| {{ribbon devices|number=5|type=oak|other_device=v|name=Outstanding Unit ribbon|width=60}}
|Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and silver oak leaf cluster |
| style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Service awards |
| {{ribbon devices|number=8|type=oak|name=Air Force Good Conduct ribbon|width=60}}
|Air Force Good Conduct Medal with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Army Good Conduct ribbon|width=60}} |
| style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Campaign and service medals |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=National Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=60}} |
| style="background:#ccf; text-align:center;"
| colspan=2 |Service, training, and marksmanship awards |
| {{ribbon devices|number=6|type=oak|name=Air Force Longevity Service ribbon|width=60}}
|Air Force Longevity Service Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|name=USAF NCO PME Graduate Ribbon|width=60}}
|NCO Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clusters |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=USAF Marksmanship ribbon|width=60}} |
| {{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=Air Force Training Ribbon|width=60}} |
=Professional memberships and associations=
{{Plainlist |
- Life member, Air Force Association
- Air Force Sergeants Association
- Retired Enlisted Association
- Director, Airmen Memorial Museum
- Army and Air Force Mutual Aid Association
- Air University Board of Visitors
}}
References
{{Portal|Biography}}
{{commonscat|Sam Parish}}
{{reflist}}
{{US Air Force|article=Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Sam E. Parish biography|url=http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/Biographies/Display/tabid/225/Article/106045/chief-master-sergeant-of-the-air-force-sam-e-parish.aspx}}
{{S-start}}
{{S-mil}}
{{Succession box|title=Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force |before=Arthur L. Andrews |after=James C. Binnicker |years=1983–1986}}
{{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parish, Sam}}
Category:Chief Master Sergeants of the United States Air Force
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Category:People from Marianna, Florida
Category:Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)