Lewis Smith Parks (13 April 1902 – 27 April 1982), was a triple

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

recipient and decorated submarine commander during World War II who reached the rank of

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. Lewis Smith Parks was born April 13, 1902, in

Bayport, New York Bayport is a hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town (New York), Town of Islip (town), New York, Islip, Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk County, New York (state), New York, United States, on Long Island. The popula ...

, to minister John Emory and Minerva Parks (née Smith). He was accepted to the United States Naval Academy in 1921. Graduating in 1925, Parks was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and received orders to the USS Wyoming (BB-32). Parks would later receive instruction for submarines and at the start of World War II was the commander of the

USS Pompano (SS-181) USS ''Pompano'' (SS-181), a United States ''Porpoise''-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the pompano. Her keel was laid down on 14 January 1936 by the Mare Island Navy Yard in California. She was ...

. For each of his first and second war patrols aboard Pompano he was awarded the Navy Cross. After leaving Pompano, Parks took command of Submarine Attack Group 9, which he commanded from

USS Parche (SS-384) The first USS ''Parche'' (SS-384/AGSS-384) was a United States Navy submarine. She bore the name (pronounced with two equal syllables: ) of a butterfly fish, '' Chaetodon capistratus''. ''Parche'' was a Balao-class submarine that operated in Wo ...

. For the two war patrols aboard Parch, Parks was awarded his third Navy Cross. During 1943-1945, Parks also commanded Submarine Division 202, for the success of that command he was awarded the Legion of Merit. During the Korean War, Parks commanded the USS Manchester (CL-83). He retired in 1960 and moved to Pompano, Florida, where he died in 1982.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parks, Lewis Smith 1902 births 1982 deaths United States Navy rear admirals (upper half) United States submarine commanders United States Naval Academy alumni Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) United States Navy personnel of World War II 20th-century American naval officers