Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe [telomorph: Gibberella zeae Schw. (Petch)] is a devastating disease that reduces yield and quality of wheat in many countires. Host resistance is the best means of control to reduce the damage since genetic variation exists in wheat for FHB resistance. Information on the combining ability of various sources of resistance may enable breeders to better exploit these sources in their breeding programs. Thirteen resistant and seven susceptible wheat genotypes were selected for crossing with the objective of identifying the best parental combinations. A 20 X 20 partial diallel crossing scheme was used to estimate general combining ability (GCA) and specific combing ability (SCA) of parents. The F1s and parents were assessed for type II FHB resistance by point-inoculation in two replicated greenhouse experiments in 2006. Data were analyzed using Model I (fixed effect) and Method 2 (F1s and parents included) procedures (Griffing, 1956). For type II resistance, GCA was more important than SCA (GCA to SCA ratio = 98). Variation among wheat genotypes for type II resistance was largely controlled by additive effects. This suggests that type II resistance can be fixed through selection using the best parental combinations. From the set of germplasm studied, the best parents for use in enhancing FHB resistance in U.S. soft red winter wheat were Truman, and IL96 24851-1 because of their high FHB resistance levels, low GCA values, and adaptation to the soft red winter wheat region. A second group of lines including RR 243, 870-1-3, and 816-3-4 are less adapted to the U.S. Midwest but still would make good sources of FHB resistance for breeding programs aimed at pyramiding different sources of resistance into individual cultivars.