The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-25
COL. PARKER new
HEAD OF 1O2ND
REGIMENT ABROAD

The 102nd United States infantry,i in
overseas service and made up largely
of the former First and Second Con-
necticut regiments, National Guard,
has a new commanding officer. He is
Colonel John Henry Parker, a regular
army man, West Pointer, and known
in the army as Machine Gun" Park
er, because of his study and develop
ment of: machine gun fighting, it is re-
ported in letters from members of the
regiment. He was commander, as a
lieutenant, in the Spanish War, of the
First Machine Gun Battalion the Uni
ted States ever had.
A Hartford soldier. described his
new colonel in letter as man who,
would deliver the goods. cit was
an inspiring and solemn occasion
when he took his oath before the en-
tire regiment" adds the writer. HE
said: Not a life shall be lost from
my failure to do my duty. All 1 ask
is that you men do your best
1t is said the morale of the 102nd
has improved wonderfully, the past
month. The men go about whistling
and singing and there is little grum-
bling and complaining.
| Colonel Parker was General PERISH
ing's right hand man during the Mex
| lean campaign of 1916 and is spoken
| of by his associates as a mans man"
| When the letter was written Col
DEL Isbell late commander of the
| regiment was then at one of the big
| hospitals in an administrative capac-
ity and Captain Guinan was his adju-
| tant. Lieutenant Colonel Edwin E.
Lamb was divisional provost marshal
Major William F. Alcorn was also on
detached duty. Major-George J.
Rau was acting lieutenant-colonel
Captain Clarence H. Thompson OF
| Company K, Captain IRELAND and
Captain Harry Bissell were acting
battalion commanders.
| Colonel Parker, new commander OF
the 1920 was born in Upton, Mo-
September 10. 1856, son of Thomas P
and Nancy (Maxey) Parker. He was
graduated from West Point in the
class of 1892 and admitted to the
Missouri bar in 1896. He married
Burr of SedaHa, Mo-, September q
1892.
He was commissioned second lieu
tenant of the 18th infantry, June II
of that year and on April 26,, 1898
was commissioned first lieutenant. He
was major of the fortieth and thirty.
ninth United States Volunteers from
August II, 1899, until May 6, 1901.
In February of that year ne was
commissioned captain and joined thu
Twenty eighth infantry, regular arm.
: and On November 81, 1914, became
t major of the Eighth infantry. Il
t 1917 he was major of the Twenty
l fourth (co1ored) infantry.
He is the author of "Gatlings a
| battery at Santiago, Cuba, in 1898, an
$ is an honorary member of the Roose
r welt Rough Riders association O
S 1898. While in the Philippines tror
1899 to 1901 was made assistant t
s the chief judge advocate.
I In 1903 he devised and organize
4 the first model machine gun battalion
1 U. S. A., made permanent by an or
= der of the war department on Janu
s airy %, 1914.
s ne WAS the duNISOI " Vie SONGrnO
Mantanzas province, Cuba. during tn
second intervention and was in charg
of the municipal improvements of tn
8 province. In 1908 he was put o.
special duty organizing a first mode
0 unit of machine guns for duty with
regiment of infantry, and writin
6 necessary texts for future development
of machine gun service for infantry.
6 He is the author of "Gattlings a
Santiago" 1898; Tactical Uses AM
Organization of Machine Guns in tn
4 Field" 1898; Trained Citizen Sol
der" 1915, and author of schem
9 of promotion by selection to as upper
numerary or distinguished service
5 list, amounting to 10 per cent. of tn
number of officers in army on tn
active list, modifying the present sys
5 tenn of "lineal promotion"