OCR Text |
Show UTAH ARTILLERYMAN TELLS OF CITHTIOi: Clements R. Parkin Sends Copies From Orders of Commendation. In a letter from Clements R. Parkin, son of Mr. and Mrs. Heber Parkin, 263S South State street, are enclosed citations following the gullant conduct of his regiment, regi-ment, the 123rd field artillery, in the operations northwest r- - of Verdun. The or- f ders are included in a letter to his par- w ents and are d Ued , T in October. A por- J -J tlon of one from y J Colonel Davis is: : "The participation f I of the regiment in T s J these operations be- gan with the night xt march e s an d co n - cealed bivouacs from s 4g September 3 5 to 22 . A These marches, j made without having rest from the battle in which the regiment regi-ment had been engaged, were long and difficult. The bivouacs were unsheltered from the elements. The fatigue and exposure ex-posure wore endured like soldiers. "From iSeptemter 22 to October 12 the regiment was under the shell of the enemy, moving from one position to an-other) an-other) following and supporting the infantry, in-fantry, guns and men in the open. The regiment fought without cover. Never did gun crew cease firing to seek shelter shel-ter from the hostile fire, but out in the open endured bombardment and maintained main-tained their fire." In a citation regarding the St. Mihiel actions the division commander says of the 123rd: "" for great devotion to duty and efficiency in advancing over muddy and difficult roads under the worst weather court) t ions and rendering at all times invaluable support lo the attacking Infantry." Mr. i-'arkin, in a letter dated November IS, says all the .soldiers are looking forward for-ward "to the return home. Mr. Parkin enlisted in June, 1917, and went to Camp Kearny with the 14r"th field artillery. He went to France almost immediately as a member of tho June replacement draft, and was aligned to the 123rd field artillery. ar-tillery. Before volunteering for service lie waa employed by the Utah Copper company, |