He was appointed a second lieutenant on 1 June and assigned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for a year, before serving on the cruiser USS Astoria.

He remained in that assignment until March 1942, when he joined the Second Marine Aircraft Wing in San Diego for deployment to Midway Atoll.

Parks was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942, while leading his squadron against a superior force of Japanese fighters and bombers attacking the island.

Parks twice more deployed to the Far East for duty with the US 7th Fleet, returning from her second such cruise 13 June 1950, just before the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel.

On 16 March she joined the fast carrier task force, screening them during air operations off the east coast as well as spending a total of 60 days in Wonsan Harbor on blockade and bombardment duty.

Parks took part in evacuation of the Dachen Islands during the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, and while in the Orient once more 11 March 1956, collided with the heavy cruiser USS Columbus, losing two men and a 40-foot (12 m) section of her bow.

Skillful work by her crew saved their ship, and brought her safely into Naval Station Subic Bay for temporary repairs.

Parks' damaged bow was replaced with that of the uncompleted destroyer USS Lansdale and after completion of repairs and installation of new equipment Floyd B.

She then entered the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and underwent an extensive Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul until February 1963.

Parks served as plane guard for aircraft carriers on Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf, participated in Operation Sea Dragon, patrolled on search and rescue duties, and carried out naval gunfire support missions.