US Navy Vice Admiral. Parker graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1925. By the time the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Parker was a Lt. Commander, the Commanding Officer of the Parrott a World War I class destroyer that was part of the Asian Fleet. While Commander of the Parrott, Parker was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism and for extreme disregard of personal safety when his command delivered a determined attack with torpedoes and gunfire during action with the enemy on the night of January 24th to the 25th, 1942. The following month he also engaged the enemy in the Badoeng Straits off the Island of Ball, Netherlands, East Indies and was awarded a second Navy Cross for distinguished service and heroism in a fierce battle with the Japanese. In addition to the Navy Cross for the battle of the 24th and 25th Parker received the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commander Destroyer Division Fifty nine. He received a third Navy Cross for leadership of Destroyer Division Fifteen aboard the Destroyer USS Cushing during an engagement with the Japanese naval forces near Savo Island on the night of November 12, 1942. The force to which he was attached engaged at close quarters and defeated a superior enemy force. From November of 1945 to April of 1946 he commanded a destroyer squadron and participated in the Allied occupation of both Korea and North China. Later that year he was an observer and commander at Bikini Atoll during Operation Crossroads, which was designed to test the effectiveness of atomic weapons on naval vessels. By 1947 he was now a captain and after commanding the Newport News, he was named deputy chief of the Atomic Support Agency. In 1952 Parker was promoted to Rear Admiral and in 1960 promoted to Vice Admiral and was appointed the deputy director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. In 1962 he was named assistant director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency which advises the President and the Secretary of State on arms control policy. He held that post until 1963 when he retired. After retirement Parker and his wife spent much of their time sailing and he was chosen the commodore of the Lighthouse Point Yacht Club in Pompano Beach, Florida.