HAROLD PARFITT

Harold Parfitt was born in Coaldale, Pennsylvania on August 6, 1921 His parents were William Parfitt and Elizabeth Patterson Parfitt. He graduated from the Military Academy at West Point United States in 1943; in 1948, he graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology; in 1955, he graduated from the College of Command and General Staff; in 1962, he graduated from the Canadian College of National Defense; in 1967, he graduated from Advances in Management Programs at Harvard. He married Patricia Rose Scully on June 4, 1955.

Parfitt was appointed Second Lieutenant in the United States Army in 1943 He rose to the rank of Major General in the year 1971 he worked as General Commander of the Center for Engineering Command of the Army of the United States at Fort Belvoir, Virginia in the latter part de1973 until March 1975.

From August 1962 to May 1965 and later was Deputy District Engineer Division of Engineers South Atlantic in Jacksonville, Florida. In June 1965, did Lieutenant Governor of the Canal Zone and Vice-President of the Panama Canal Company, where he worked until September 1968.

From December 1969 to August 1973, he was Division Engineer Engineers Southwest, Dallas, Texas. From 1968-1969 Parfitt was Commanding Officer of the twentieth Engineer Brigade in Vietnam.

Parfitt was appointed as Governor of the Panama Canal Zone on 1o. April 1975 and served in that position until 30 September 1979 Under his administration, the General Parfitt, was more aware, more than any other administrator Canal, the realities and sensitivities arising from the operation of the Canal Panama in Panama. Was given more support apprenticeship program as a vital phase of the Company agencies / government. Completion of the separate school for Latin American students were recommended and regulation of housing was changed to consolidate housing formerly assigned separately to citizens and non citizens of the United States. Under his rule, in 1976, the Canal had its second increase in the rate of tolls, and the United States and Panama signed the new Panama Canal treaty on September 7, 1977.

Parfitt was the last of the Governors of the Panama Canal.