Christopher Vernon Parr

Submitted by: Chris Mulholland

Christopher Vernon Parr served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The dates of service are: Known 1917-1918.

 

Vernon Christopher Parr was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio on February 6th, 1890. He worked as fireman on a locomotive before enlisting in the US Army on April 27th, 1917. He apparently lived in the Berkeley section of Chesapeake during this period.

He was sent to Fort Thomas, Kentucky for training and was assigned to the 19th Cavalry. The 19th Cav was transferred to Camp Ethan Allen in Vermont where it was converted and redesignated as the 77th Field Artillery Regiment. Vernon was by now a Sergeant assigned to Battery D.

The 77th was assigned to the 4th Division and deployed overseas in May 1918. Vernon’s unit was supporting the attack across the Meuse River in Lorraine, France when he was hit with a “bursting shell” on September 27th, 1918 and died from his wounds.

After the war, his body was disinterred and returned to the US where he was buried on July 24th, 1921 in Decatur, Indiana although there are also records which indicate that he was buried in the Berkeley section of Chesapeake.