Chief Warrant Officer Parrish was a member of Headquarters and Service Company, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while attacking Inchon, South Korea, on 17 September 1950.

Parrish was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.