Escondido war hero Royce Williams becomes eligible to receive the Medal of Honor

Retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams of Escondido has become eligible to receive the Medal of Honor for the courage he showed during an aerial dogfight during the Korean War in which he took on seven Soviet MiGs, shooting down four of them.

This month, Congress approved the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes language that eliminates any time constraints Williams might face in a review of his actions in Korea.

President Donald Trump signed the defense funding bill Thursday. Williams will receive the medal if the president formally requests that it be done.

Williams’ legendary dogfight with the Soviets occurred on Nov. 18, 1952, while he and three other Navy pilots were flying their F9F-5 aircraft along the Yalu River, a demarcation line between North Korean and Soviet territories.

The attack and engine problems led Williams’ fellow pilots to peel away. He stuck around, engaging in a fight that lasted 35 minutes, the Navy says. He was quietly awarded the Silver Star the following year — a ceremony that was downplayed at the time due to political sensitivities.

Over time, things changed. In 2023, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro awarded Williams the Navy Cross during a large ceremony in San Diego that included U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.

None of this satisfied Operation Just Reward, an Encinitas-based group of veterans and others who lobbied the military and government to award Williams the Medal of Honor. Their work was a pivotal factor in this week’s decision to make Williams eligible for the award.

Williams wasn’t eligible to receive the medal due to a federal statute. As noted by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, recommendations for the medal must be submitted within three years of the valorous act, and the medal must be presented within five years. Any submissions outside of this timeline require an act of Congress to waive the time limits.

The Medal of Honor — the military’s highest honor — is bestowed upon those who distinguish themselves “through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.”

“I’m really glad this happened because he so deserves the honor,” said Steve Lewandowski, who led the Operation Just Reward campaign.

Williams also received strong support from Congressmember Darrell Issa, who helped ensure that the medal proposal was included in the defense spending bill.

“What Royce did is — still to this day — the most unique U.S.-Soviet aerial combat dogfight in the history of the Cold War, and one in which Royce Williams demonstrated indomitable courage of the highest skill under incalculable duress,” Issa said in a statement.