US EditionAir Force F-16 commander earns rare Silver Star for Middle East mission
Lt. Parks led 12 F-16s in eight-month deployment, achieving six aerial victories and saving millions by careful munitions choice, Air Force said.
- On Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, Air Force Lt. William `Skate` Parks received the Silver Star at the Pentagon from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach, who noted fewer than 100 such awards in the Air Force era.
- The March 27 mission within CENTCOM involved Parks leading Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses aligned with Operation Rough Rider and Prosperity Guardian against Houthi forces.
- Below minimum fuel, Parks coordinated an emergency rendezvous with two tanker aircraft after enduring a 15-minute barrage within enemy air defenses, the citation says.
- Parks' munitions choices saved the U.S. more than $25 million, six interceptions shielded USS Harry S. Truman with more than 5,000 sailors, and the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron logged a record 108 shoot-downs.
- Fewer than 100 Silver Stars have been awarded in the Air Force era, and the award is rarer still for a squadron commander, highlighting the AIM-9M Sidewinder's first combat use in three decades.
12 Articles
12 Articles
‘Missiles detonating mere feet away’: Air Force F-16 commander earns rare Silver Star for Middle East mission
Lt. Col. William "Skate" Parks received the Silver Star at a Pentagon ceremony for leading F-16s through 15 minutes of enemy missile fire while dangerously low on fuel.
A US F-16 pilot outflew enemy missiles with extreme high-G turns for 15 minutes during a Middle East mission
A US Air Force F-16 operates over the Middle East in February.US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. William Rio RosadoA US F-16 pilot outflew a 15-minute barrage of enemy missiles during a Middle East mission in March.He made extreme turns to avoid explosions just feet away, according to an Air Force award citation.The incident looks to have occurred during the US military's bombing campaign against the Houthis.A US Air Force pilot survived 15 minute…
Military Times
Air Force Times‘High-G maneuvers’ amid enemy missiles earn USAF pilot Silver Star
An Air Force squadron commander who led a history-making deployment to the Middle East was recently presented with the military’s third-highest combat award for combat heroism that reads like a Blockbuster movie script.Lt. Col. William “Skate” Parks, who commanded the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron out of Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, until earlier this year, received the Silver Star at the Pentagon on Wednesday in recognition of a high-r…
Air Force F-16 pilot awarded Silver Star for actions in the Middle East
An Air Force officer who led a squadron of F-16s in multiple combat missions in the Middle East over the last year was awarded the Silver Star for his actions. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach presented the honor to Lt. Col. William “Skate” Parks on Wednesday, Nov. 26. Parks earned the award, the nation’s third-highest for valor, for combat operations earlier this year while commanding the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron in the sk…
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