Harold Robert Parfitt (August 6, 1921 – May 21, 2006) was an American military officer and engineer who was the last Governor of the Panama Canal Zone, from 1975 to 1979.[1]
Biography
He was born in Coaldale, Pennsylvania, on August 6, 1921, to William Parfitt and Elizabeth Patterson.[2]
Parfitt was commissioned second lieutenant of the United States Army in 1943; advanced through the ranks to major general in 1971. He served as commanding general, United States Army Engineer Center/Commandant, United States Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, from late 1973 to March 1975.[2]
He was Deputy, and later District Engineer of the Engineer Division, South Atlantic, in Jacksonville, Florida, from August 1962 to May 1965. In June 1965, he became lieutenant governor of the Canal Zone and vice president of the Panama Canal Company, serving until September 1968.[2]
From December 1969 to August 1973, he was division engineer, U.S. Army Engineer Division, Southwest, Dallas, Texas. Parfitt was commanding officer of the 20th Engineer Brigade in Vietnam from November 1968 to November 1969.[2]
Parfitt was appointed as Governor of the Panama Canal Zone on April 1, 1975, and served in that position until September 30, 1979. He was the last U.S. governor of this region, as the post was abolished and replaced with the Panama Canal Commission.[2]
