At the urging of military and political leaders, Royce Williams was given an 'upgrade' that many believe better acknowledges the skill and courage in showed in fighting the enemy.
In one of the most masterful pieces of flying in Navy history, Royce Williams of Escondido took on seven Soviet MiGs in Korea in 1952 and shot down four of them in a solo dogfight that was kept secret for decades because it was fraught with political sensitivities.At the urging of military and political leaders, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro visited San Diego Friday and gave the 97-year-old Williams an “upgrade,” awarding him the Navy Cross in front of about 400 people, including U.S.
Retired Navy Capt. Royce Williams received the Navy Cross, the second highest military honor conferred by the Navy. But things turned hairy when Williams and his fellow pilots unexpectedly encountered the Soviet MiGs — planes that were faster and more maneuverable than Panther jets. They immediately opened fire.
Williams had left the carrier in a snow storm. Now, he found himself trying to land with a broken hydraulic system. The Oriskany performed a maneuver that gave him the best possible chance to land safely, which he managed to do.that he could never tell anyone — not even his wife — about the dogfight to avoid antagonizing the Soviets.
The campaign got the attention of Secretary Del Toro, who investigated the matter and then, last year, visited Williams at his home in Escondido.
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