 On June 4, 1942, during the Battle of Midway, the pilots of VMF-221 were alerted to intercept the incoming formation of Japanese bombers and the 36 escorting Zero fighters that were headed towards the island.Parks led his squadron against the inbound Japanese armada, which combined air groups from "Akagi", "Kaga", "Hiryu", and "Soryu".In the lead were the level bombers, a "vee of vees" made up of Nakajima B5N "Kates", followed by the dive bomber formation of Aichi D3A "Vals" at a slightly higher altitude.