Avenue of Heroes: William E. Parry

Prepared by: The Parry Family

After graduating from Union College and Officer Candidate School, Ensign William E. Parry and his wife, Carolyn, arrived in Coronado in December 1965 for training. He served as gunnery officer aboard USS Summit County in Danang, Vietnam, and was then assigned as lead instructor for swift boats afloat in 1968. Then, he served as executive officer USS Pluck, and in 1972, became first lieutenant on USS Racine. His son, Michael, was born at Coronado Hospital in 1974 and later became a notable cinematographer for the Paramount TV series “Yellowstone.”

In 1975, LCDR Parry commanded Naval Training Center Santa Barbara and earned an MBA before being assigned as navigator on USS Tarawa in 1978. In 1982, reassigned to Chief of Naval Operations, he pioneered computerized strength planning. Parry returned to Naval Amphibious Base as chief naval reserve Pacific representative in 1985, retiring in 1988.

Following his military service, Parry embarked on a 20-year civil service career. He worked as a manpower engineer at Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, and Chief of Naval Education and Training from 1989 to 1999, then served as director of afloat training for Military Sealift Command, Pacific, from 1999 to 2008. In 2009, he married Sarah “the Cheese Lady” Kaufmann.

As a community volunteer, Parry coached Coronado Pop Warner football from 1968 to 1972, served as head coach of Coronado High School and Middle School boys’ lacrosse teams from 1985 to 2000 and helped establish CHS girls’ lacrosse program in 1992. As president of the San Diego County Lacrosse Association, Parry spearheaded establishment of Boys’ and Girls’ High School Lacrosse State Championships and CIF sanction for lacrosse.

Parry is recognized as the “Father of San Diego Lacrosse.” He was named US Lacrosse San Diego Chapter Man of the Year 2002, inducted into the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2008, and named Coronado Coaching Legend 2012. His grandchildren, Asha and Bodan, are the fourth generation of Parry lacrosse players. He is the namesake of the Parry/Huck Lacrosse Trophy and Coronado Optimist Pickleball tournament. A member of Coronado Optimist Club, Parry served as District Governor 2021. He is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Marine Corps League.

The Avenue of Heroes military service recognition program is sponsored by the City of Coronado. Introduced in 2014, the program has honored 277 hometown heroes to date. On November 2, 2024, another 16 were honored. City staff and volunteers from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2422, the Coronado Historical Association and Third and Fourth  Streets Neighborhood Association oversee its operation.

In 2011, the program was inspired spontaneously with the movement of two Navy SEALs to their final resting place. News spread quickly and the local Rotary Club passed out American flags. People lined Fourth Street to honor the fallen service members. As the procession approached the Coronado Bridge, a lone Navy SEAL stood at attention, saluting as he waited for the passage of his comrades. That moment made clear that Third and Fourth streets were already an Avenue of Heroes.

That spontaneous beginning launched the program in May 2015 with 18 banners. The Avenue of Heroes is a reminder that Coronado has a rich history and legacy of service to the country.