Born on June 19,1926 in Washington, DC, his family moved to Sarasota, Florida in 1939. He enlisted in the USAAF at age 17 after graduation from high school. He served as a crew member on Beechcraft AT-7, Lockheed C-60 and Consolidated B-24. Bob Parks has a great passion for aviation and art. Bob sketched and painted wherever he was stationed. In 1945, Bob won two first places and a third place for his watercolors and pencil sketches in the Army Arts Competition.
After his discharge in 1945, Bob attended Duke University and worked summers on the flight line at Sarasota-Bradenton Airport. He received his private pilot's license in 1946. At Duke he illustrated short stories and drew cartoons for the Duke and Duchess magazine. Bob sold his art to support his education.
In 1950, Bob became a flight line modification mechanic on the B-50 at Boeing. Bob then became a XB-52 production illustrator. In 1960 he worked in Employee Development and Training where he became a supervisor. In 1970, Bob was laid off as part of the massive downsizing at Boeing. Bob's art became his major income producer which included his illustrations for Ernest Gann for Flying magazine and later the book Ernest Gann's Flying Circus.