[1] He is known for having been in all the land campaigns of the War of the Pacific, participating in several military actions, as part of the Regiment Cazadores a Caballo, with which he gained great prestige in the Chilean Army.

[6] In May 1869 he graduated from the military academy with the rank of ensign of cavalry[5] and entered the Chilean Army, forming part of the Regiment Cazadores a Caballo.

[2] At that time Parra enjoyed great prestige, being considered one of the best in the army's cavalry branch, for having distinguished himself and risked in several of the aforementioned engagements.

For his distinguished services, he served on various commissions in central and northern Peru, being appointed Chief of Staff in the Cañete Division of the Chilean Army of occupation in 1881.

[2] In 1883, he participated in military operations in the Sierra to defeat the elusive Peruvian general Andrés Avelino Cáceres, who was still resisting the Chilean occupation.

[13] But then he served as an instructor of the Militia Regiment Death Hussars, which was organized by a Chilean citizen, Enrique Allende Ríos, when the war between Chile and Argentina seemed imminent in that period.

[13] In 1896, after three years retired from the army, he was reinstated and appointed commander of the Cazadores a Caballo, a cavalry regiment with which he had previously distinguished himself during the War of the Pacific.

[13] His good performance in that country gave prestige to the Chilean Army, and he received from the hands of Wilhelm II, German Emperor, the Royal Star of the Order of the Crown.

[16] After his retirement, Parra continued with his practice of horseback riding every day, passing with his black horse through Gálvez de Santiago street in the direction of Cousiño Park.

In the streets of Santiago, he became popular for his walks on the sidewalks or the Alameda, drawing attention with his civilian frock coat and his robust physical figure.

[16] His funeral had public notoriety in Santiago, and his coffin was accompanied to his burial place by the cavalry regiment in which he gained his prestige, the Cazadores a Caballo.

[17] On 18 October 2018, the first act in homage to Sofanor Parra was held in San Carlos, organized by the school that bears his name, and which had the participation of the Infantry Regiment N.º 9 Chillán.