Floyd B . Parks Major Floyd Bruce Parks ( January 16 , 1911 – June 4 , 1942 ) was a decorated aviation officer in the United States Marine Corps during World War II . Biography . Parks was born in Salisbury , Missouri , the first child of James B . Parks and his wife Elizabeth Ann Bowman . James Parks was a widower with one son from his first marriage . Floyd Parks also had a younger brother , Billy Bowman Parks , born in 1921 . Their father died on 3 February 1924 , leaving their mother a widow . Floyd Parks enlisted in the United States Navy in 1928 and served two years aboard destroyers . In 1930 he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy . Parks earned the infamous Black " N " award , given for major infractions , on a number of occasions . He sang in the Midshipman Choir and was a member of Annapolis ' water polo team , also participating in football and swimming . Parks graduated in the upper third of his class of 1934 , and chose a commission in United States Marine Corps . He was appointed a Second Lieutenant on June 1 and assigned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for a year , before serving on the cruiser USS Astoria ( CA - 34 ) . In May 1936 he reported to the Naval Air Station Pensacola for flight training . While swimming in the Gulf of Mexico , Parks and an enlisted man , rescued a Marine private from drowning , winning commendation for his " quick action , good judgment and swimming ability " . Parks was designated a Naval Aviator on 12 June 1937 , and in August reported to Naval Air Station San Diego , California . The following year he married Margaret Elizabeth Murray of El Paso , Texas . In June 1940 he was reassigned to the NAS Pensacola as a flight instructor . In May 1941 , he transferred to the First Marine Aircraft Wing , Fleet Marine Force , Quantico , Virginia , and trained as a dive bomber pilot . He remained in that assignment until March 1942 , when he joined the Second Marine Aircraft Wing in San Diego , for deployment to Midway . His wife , Margaret , returned to El Paso to stay with her mother during his deployment . He was promoted to the rank of Major on 8 May 1942 , and given command of Marine Fighting Squadron Two Twenty One ( VMF - 221 ) during the Battle of Midway . Park ' s squadron was predominantly equipped with Brewster F2A - 3 ( Model B - 439 ) fighter aircraft , supplemented by a handful of Grumman F4F - 3 Wildcats , all handed down from U . S . Navy squadrons . More than half of the aviators assigned to Parks ' unit were fresh from flight training in San Diego . During the battle of Midway , Parks was killed in action on the first day of the battle on June 4 , 1942 , while leading his squadron against a superior force of Japanese fighters and bombers attacking the island . For his heroism , Major Parks was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross . The citation reads as follows : " For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous devotion to duty as Squadron Commander for Marine Fighting Squadron TWO TWENTY - ONE , in action against enemy Japanese forces during the Battle of Midway , June 4 , 1942 . Leading his squadron in a dauntless and aggressive attack against a vastly superior number of Japanese bomber and fighter planes , Major Parks aided in disruption the plans of the enemy and lessening the effectiveness of their attack , thereby contributing materially to the success of our forces . As a result of his courageous and daring tactics and because of the circumstances attendant upon this engagement , there can be little doubt that Major Parks gallantly gave up his life in the service of his country . He displayed the characteristics of a fine leader and excellent airman in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service . " Namesake . was named for him ; his widow was present at the commissioning ceremony .