President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, to 100-year-old Korean War veteran Colonel E. Royce Williams during his first State of the Union address on Tuesday.
CBS News reported that Trump said that night the courageous naval aviator, at age 100, was finally receiving the recognition he so richly deserved, adding that he had been a legend long before the evening.
As Williams rose, First Lady Melania Trump draped the medal around his neck.
This marks the first time a president has bestowed the nation’s highest military honor during a State of the Union address.
In 1952, during the Korean War, Williams etched his name in U.S. Navy history by engaging in a 30-minute aerial dogfight against seven Soviet MiG-15 fighters over the Korean Peninsula, successfully downing four enemy aircraft.
After his F9F Panther was hit, Williams managed to navigate the damaged aircraft back to his carrier and execute a successful emergency landing. He later revealed that while he had considered ejecting, the frigid waters below prompted his decision to attempt a risky landing.
Given the classified nature of Soviet involvement in the Korean conflict, Williams was ordered to keep the engagement secret. Consequently, he maintained this silence for decades, sharing the details with no one, not even his wife. The full account of the dogfight only came to light following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In 2022, Williams was awarded the Navy Cross, the highest honor bestowed upon Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who represents Williams’ San Diego district, had long advocated for Williams to receive the Medal of Honor. Last year, Congress lifted the time restriction requiring the medal to be awarded within five years of the act of valor.
Earlier this month, President Trump personally called Williams to inform him of the impending honor.
CBS News noted the significance of Trump’s decision to honor Williams for his actions against Soviet pilots, particularly as negotiations with Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine continue.