User:Shannon Parks/sandbox

Susan A. Parks was 19 year old and the telephone switchboard operator in Columbus, New Mexico on March 9, 1916. At approximately 4:20 am that morning, the little town was surprised by an armed invasion by Pancho Villa's and several hundred of his soldiers coming in on horseback. She manned the telephone switchboard with her baby in her arms and made the first call outside to alert the Deming National Guard that they were in need of help. Nine civilians, including Susie's closest friend, Bessie Bain James, were killed in the battle. Eight soldiers were also killed defending the town. Susan was treated for bullet shards embedded in her neck and both she and her daughter incurred injuries from flying glass during the battle.

I attempted to upload a family photo but it was denied because it wasn't taken with my own camera.

Reference: “Susan Parks - Heroes in Telecom History.” Telecommunications History Group, Heroes in Telecom History Telecommunications History Group Resources, 1990, www.telcomhistory.org/resources/online-exhibits/heroes-in-telecom-history/susan-parks.

“Columbus Remembers: Switchboard Operator Signaled Raid to Rest of the World.” News, Deming Headlight Part of USA Today Network, 7 Mar. 2016, www.demingheadlight.com/story/news/2016/03/07/columbus-remembers-switchboard-operator-signaled-raid-rest-world/81458532.

Welsome, Eileen. The General and the Jaguar: Pershing’s Hunt for Pancho Villa: A True Story of Revolution and Revenge. Digital original, New York, NY, Little, Brown and Company, 2009.

El Paso Herald (El Paso, Tex.), Ed. 1, Thursday, March 9, 1916 El Paso Morning Times (El Paso, Tex.), Vol. 36TH YEAR, Ed. 1, Saturday, March 11, 1916 Columbus Courier, (Columbus, New Mexico),