San Diego-area Korean War Navy aviator Royce Williams receives Medal of Honor during 2026 State of the Union

A long-classified air battle moves into national focus

Retired U.S. Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams, a 100-year-old Korean War veteran who has lived in the San Diego region, received the Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026. Williams attended the address with family members and was seated near First Lady Melania Trump, who placed the medal around his neck during the ceremony inside the House chamber.

The award recognized actions from a mission on Nov. 18, 1952, when Williams—then a lieutenant flying an F9F-5 Panther—engaged multiple Soviet-built MiG-15 jets during the Korean War. Accounts tied to the award describe Williams fighting alone against seven MiG-15s in a dogfight lasting more than half an hour and shooting down four aircraft before returning to his aircraft carrier, USS Oriskany, despite significant damage to his plane.

Why the recognition arrived more than seven decades later

The engagement remained classified for decades amid Cold War sensitivities, delaying public documentation and limiting the ability of advocates to pursue an upgraded award through the standard timelines that typically govern Medal of Honor consideration. The case became a focal point for efforts to remove barriers that can prevent older combat actions—especially those linked to classified records—from being reconsidered under contemporary review standards.

In recent years, Williams’ wartime recognition moved through successive stages. He was awarded the Silver Star after the war, and that decoration was later upgraded to the Navy Cross. Congressional action and defense authorization language then created a pathway for Medal of Honor eligibility in his case, culminating in the White House confirmation earlier this month that the award would be granted.

Local ties and the role of congressional advocacy

Williams has been described by supporters as a low-profile veteran whose story was largely unknown outside military circles for many years. His case drew sustained attention from Rep. Darrell Issa, who represents parts of North County and inland San Diego County, and who publicly detailed the 1952 mission as a rare U.S.-Soviet aerial combat encounter during the Korean War period.

• Mission date: Nov. 18, 1952
• Award date and venue: Feb. 24, 2026, during the State of the Union address
• Aircraft and theater: F9F-5 Panther, Korean War operations from a U.S. Navy carrier

A notable moment inside the State of the Union chamber

The presentation marked an unusual setting for the nation’s highest military decoration, with the recognition delivered during a prime-time presidential address to Congress. In addition to Williams, the president also recognized Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 Eric Slover with a Medal of Honor during the same event, making the ceremony a rare instance of two awards presented in a single State of the Union program.

The ceremony placed a decades-old Korean War action into the contemporary national spotlight, highlighting how classification, timelines, and later review can shape when military valor is formally recognized.

For the San Diego region, the award brought renewed attention to a local resident’s role in a mission that supporters have long argued warranted the military’s highest honor, even as the underlying events remained largely out of public view for much of Williams’ lifetime.