Colonel (Retired) Norman Saunders served at APC from January
1954 through October 1956 as a second lieutenant in Production
Branch's Information Films under Captain Carl Flint. He provided a recollection of Norton S. Parker as a retired colonel who was the head of the Writers Branch. Contesting information that Parker had been commanding officer of Army Pictorial Center but "to my knowledge he was never CO of the studio." Saunders' first assignment would have immediately followed Parker's command around 1952-1953, so Saunders ought to know. Saunders said Parker's basic job was to contract writers, mostly civilian to various projects. There were several military writers that worked under Parker, including Ira Levin, Jack Warner, Jr., and Robert Ervin. When I came off active duty, I was
assigned to Col Jack Warner, Jr.'s Mob Des unit in Los Angeles. I
returned to the APC for several tours of active duty over the next
few years. I retired as commander of the unit in 1990 as a colonel.
(Posted August 1, 2011) |