b. 16/06/1824 Schenactady, New York. d. 06/12/1870 Portsmouth, Virginia.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 05/08/1864 Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama.
ivil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was born in Schenectady, New York and entered the Union Navy at New York, New York. He served as Captain of the Forecastle. His citation reads “On board the USS Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and the the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Parks performed his duties with skill and courage throughout a furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.” After his discharge from the Navy, he disappeared into history, and his subsequent life is unknown.
MOH CITATION:
On board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship the and loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Parks performed his duties with skill and courage throughout a furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNION CEMETERY OF MELLENVILLE, MELLENVILLE, NEW YORK.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.