By A South Dakota native who shot down several Soviet fighter jets will be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Donald Trump.
Royce Williams’ engagement with the Soviets occurred during the Korean War, and to keep tensions between the two superpowers from boiling over, the incident was kept classified during the Cold War.
Because it was classified, Williams didn’t receive the honor he would have had the dogfight occurred against open combatants, supporters argued. The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military award.
Trump called Williams at his home in Escondido, Calif., Wednesday, Feb. 4 to inform him of the award. Now 100, Williams was born in Wilmot, and grew up in the area. When he was 11, he moved to the Minnesota side of the Big Stone Lake. While growing up in South Dakota and Minnesota, he enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing sports.
The details on when and where Williams will receive the award have not been finalized.
Rounds helped push for Medal of Honor
California Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., were among the congressional leaders pushing for Williams to get the Medal of Honor.
Royce Williams, who grew up in Wilmot and near Big Stone Lake, will be awarded the Medal of Honor for his service during the Korean War. Courtesy photo.
Issa also referred to Williams as a “Top Gun,” the Navy’s best fighter pilots.
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“The heroism and valor he demonstrated for more than 35 harrowing minutes almost 70 years ago in the skies over the North Pacific and the coast of North Korea unquestionably saved the lives of his fellow pilots, shipmates, and crew,” he said. “His story is one for the ages and it now has its rightful chapter as Royce receives the Medal of Honor.”
Williams had been given a Silver Star after the hushed engagement that occurred Nov. 18, 1952, during the height of the Korean War. Following the end of the Cold War, Soviet-era military documents entered the public domain. They confirmed the engagement, with at least four Soviet pilots losing their lives in the engagement.
Ben Jones, the director of the South Dakota State Historical Society and a retired Air Force officer, found a declassified U.S. intelligence report based on intercepted communications of Soviet pilots being ordered to attack U.S. Navy ships that were near the border shared by North Korea, China and the Soviet Union.
At the time of the engagement, the U.S. and allied forces were openly fighting communist North Korea, which had invaded South Korea. Communist China joined North Korea when it appeared it might lose the war.
The Soviets were helping North Korea and China clandestinely.
Williams served on USS Oriskany
Williams was flying a patrol from the USS Oriskany aircraft carrier with two other U.S. fighter pilots when the engagement occurred. The pilots were warned that MIG-15s were approaching. Soon, Williams found himself all alone.
What followed was an epic dog fight in which Williams, flying an inferior fighter jet to the MIG-15, shot down at least four, and possibly more, Soviet pilots. There were at least seven MIGs in the fight.
Wilmot native Royce Williams, who will receive the Medal of Honor for his work in the U.S. Navy, served on the USS Oriskany. U.S. Navy public domain photo by F.L. Blair.
The engagement is thought to have been the longest dogfight in U.S. military history, lasting 38 minutes. Williams’ fighter was badly shot up when it managed to limp back to the Oriskany.
Williams figured he was flying against North Korean or Chinese pilots. But after landing, he was summoned by Adm. Robert Briscoe. The admiral told Williams that the MIG pilots were in fact Soviets. He was warned to keep the engagement secret because they didn’t want to inflame tensions with the Soviets or reveal intelligence capabilities.
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Williams kept the secret, not even telling his wife until the engagement was declassified.
He went on to fly combat missions in the Vietnam War. His career in the Navy lasted 37 years, and he flew 227 combat missions. He retired as a captain.
A provision inserted into the National Defense Authorization Act allowed the Trump administration to consider Williams for the Medal of Honor. The act passed in December.
“I’m pleased that President Trump and his team made the determination that Capt. Williams is deserving of this honor, and I’m looking forward to celebrating this momentous occasion,” Rounds said.
