Air Force F-16 commander earns rare Silver Star for Middle East mission: Missiles detonating mere feet away

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William “Skate” Parks, an Air Force F-16 commander who deliberately flew into one of the most heavily defended air-defense zones in the Middle East and dodged enemy missiles for 15 minutes while dangerously low on fuel, has been awarded the Silver Star, one of the nation’s highest honors for valor in combat.Parks received the medal during a Pentagon ceremony Nov.26.

According to an official Air Force release, his actions during a high-risk mission in early 2025 not only crippled enemy ballistic missile production facilities, but saved the lives of his wingman and likely prevented the loss of two American aircraft.At the time, Parks was the commander of the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and served as mission commander for a 21-aircraft strike package March 27.Parks simultaneously led a four-ship of F-16 Fighting Falcons tasked with Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, or SEAD, the mission responsible for drawing enemy fire and clearing a path for the rest of the force.“Parks intentionally placed himself in threat range of a complex air defense zone protecting the enemy’s capital,” the Air Force said.His decision, the citation states, was key to “crippling enemy ballistic missile production facilities.”It also placed his formation squarely in the crosshairs.

Enemy forces fired a “barrage of precisely targeted” missiles and anti-aircraft fire at the F-16s, triggering a 15-minute sequence of violent high-G maneuvers and countermeasures.“For 15 minutes, with enemy missiles detonating mere feet from his aircraft, Parks led his flight through a series of high-G maneuvers and countermeasure employment,” the citation states.The danger didn’t end once the barrage stopped.Parks was still deep in enemy territory and below minimum fuel levels, according to the Air Force.

He quickly coordinated an emergency rendezvous with two separate tankers to keep the jets airborne long enough to reach safety, a move the service said likely preven...