Air Force and Pentagon

Lt. Col. William "Skate" Parks received the Silver Star at a Nov. 26 Pentagon ceremony for leading a March 27, 2025 Middle East mission, flying his F‑16 into a heavily defended air-defense zone to suppress enemy defenses and protect a 21‑aircraft strike package. The Air Force says he evaded missiles for 15 minutes while low on fuel, coordinated emergency tanker hookups, and helped cripple enemy ballistic missile production facilities, actions credited with saving his wingman and preventing the loss of two U.S. aircraft.