NDAA removes obstacle, paves way for overdue recognition for retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams, who shot down four Russian MiGs in 1952.
Retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams, whose extraordinary actions during a 35-minute dogfight with Russian MiGs during the Korean War, may receive the Medal of Honor in early 2026. An American Legion Magazine story in November 2017 first reported Williams’ actions after he was sworn to secrecy immediately after the incident.
The fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would clear the way for the president to award the Medal of Honor to Williams, now age 100, a member of American Legion Post 416 in Encinitas, Calif. Specifically, language in the NDAA removes time limits that currently prevent Williams from receiving the honor.
On Nov. 18, 1952, Williams and three other Navy pilots encountered seven Russian MiGs. Williams, flying an F9F-5 Panther, shot down four MiG-15s in 35 minutes, a feat never achieved previously or since. Most dogfights last about five minutes. “It was an eternity,” Williams said in the 2017 interview.
He was uninjured except for minor cuts around his neck, where the gasket from his flight suit rubbed against his skin. His plane, however, bore the scars. A shipmate used a grease pencil to circle the perforations – all 263 of them. The plane was in such poor shape that the crew pushed it overboard to its final resting place.
His commanding officers swore him to secrecy, fearing the incident may lead to a major war. Russia declassified the information a decade ago, paving the way for Williams to talk openly about it — more than a half-century later.
That, in turn, led to the quest for the Medal of Honor for Williams, who previously received the Navy Cross and Silver Star.
The American Legion passed a resolution in 2017, calling for Williams to receive the medal. And since then it has been a passion project for Legionnaires including the late Navy Admiral Don Shelton and Steve Lewandowski, both members of Post 416.
With the initiative seemingly “dead in the water,” Lewandowski commenced and led “Operation Just Reward.” He gravitated the quest from a military awards review board to a legislative and public relations effort.
“This is a great moment,” he said. “Royce deserves the medal, and we’re at this point because of the dedication and work of American Legion members. We’ve tried multiple avenues to get Royce the medal but have been blocked. Now this appears to clear the way for Royce to get the Medal of Honor he truly deserves. It will be a great day for Royce and a great day for The American Legion.”
The House is expected to vote this week on the NDAA. Upon passage, it would go to the Senate and then on to the president for his signature into law.
- Honor & Remembrance