A hero pilot who shot down at least four Russian Migs in a classified dogfight during the height of the Cold War, during which his jet was shot down 263 times, is to be awarded the Navy Cross.
Retired Navy Captain Royce Williams was sworn to secrecy for more than 50 years over fears that his fight against seven Soviet fighters could spark a war with Russia.
Now free to tell his story, the 97-year-old is scheduled to receive the Navy’s second-highest award for combat valor at the San Diego Air & Space Museum on Friday.
In a bitter dogfight that lasted half an hour, Williams shot down at least four Migs, though his plane was so badly wounded that he contemplated ejecting over enemy territory – an almost certain death sentence – as he hobbled back to the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany.
Cpt Royce Williams poses for a picture next to a bullet hole ripped in the hull of his Panther, which was hit 263 times during its heroic dogfight against Russian Migs during the Korean War in 1952
In San Diego Harbor on the USS Midway in February 2019, a museum ship, Captain Royce Williams, now stands alongside an F9F Panther whose cockpit is shaped like four Migs. The plane and its markings pay tribute to those who shot down at least four Russian Migs
A Grumman F9F Panther fighter jet fires its guns in an attack on the North Korean port city of Hungnam
“The heroism and bravery he demonstrated for 35 harrowing minutes 70 years ago in the skies over the North Pacific Ocean and the coast of North Korea saved the lives of his fellow pilots, shipmates and crew members,” US Rep. Darrell Issa said in a statement last Friday to the Announcement of the ceremony. “His story is one for eternity, but it is now fully told.”
Issa has spearheaded an effort started more than a decade ago to get the Pentagon to recognize William’s bravery and upgrade his Silver Star.
On November 18, 1952, during the Korean War, Williams was with three other pilots on a bombing raid in “Mig Alley” – the notorious dogfight zone over the Yalu River on the China-Korea border.
Named after the fearsome Soviet Migs that tormented US pilots, the Jets outperformed Williams Panthers in almost every way – speed, maneuverability, rate of climb and weapon range.
But panthers were known for their longevity — and Williams was becoming the living proof.
Captain Royce Williams. For the rest of his 23-year career, including more than 100 missions in Vietnam, the only official record was a single confirmed kill and a Silver Star.
“We started dating when we got out of the clouds,” Williams told Task and Purpose. “And then we heard from the Combat Information Center (CIC) that there were bogeys coming in from the north.”
Williams rose 12,000 feet above the clouds and spotted seven contrails moving high overhead.
The intelligence service hinted that the Soviet jets were out for revenge after a massive airstrike on an industrial complex in northeast Korea – in which Williams had been involved.
Williams fired quickly to check his weapons, but as he did so, his pilot was hit by a fuel warning and returned to the fleet.
It was now two Panthers against seven Migs.
Williams continued to climb and radioed the Oriskany that he had sighted a group of three aircraft and a group of four aircraft.
CIC told him not to attack when the enemy suddenly opened fire with their 23mm and 37mm guns.
‘We’re already engaged!’ Williams shouted back over the radio.
Migs’ four-aircraft group charged from the right flank at Williams and his wingman and opened fire.
Williams managed to break away and get behind an enemy aircraft, firing rounds into its rear fuselage.
Williams with Battle of the Bulge veteran Vincent J. Speranza (left) and MOH recipient US Navy SEAL Master Chief Edward C. Byers, Jr. in 2021
Williams stands next to a panther engraved with a tribute to him on the ship at the USS Midway Museum in San Diego Harbor
Williams proudly stands next to a Panther aboard the USS Midway
The Mig began to fall out of the sky, leaving a trail of smoke. Williams’ wingman gave chase, leaving him alone against the remaining six Soviet fighters.
“In that moment, I was a fighter pilot doing my job,” Williams said. “I only shot what I had.”
The jets took turns diving down on Williams and bombarding his plane with machine gun fire.
The young lieutenant squeezed every ounce of maneuverability out of the Panther, firing in and out of the hail of Soviet fire.
The American planes had less ammunition than the Migs, meaning Williams chose a defensive strategy and dialed his shots.
“I was mentally busy at the time,” Williams said in an interview with the San Diego Union Tribune last year.
“A lot of that was awareness of where they were and how I had to maneuver to avoid them. They took turns.
“I decided that if I focus on shooting them down, I’ll be an easy target. So my initial goal was to look for ways to defend when they made mistakes.
Williams fired at every Mig that passed within range – but even when he appeared to score hits – he couldn’t continue to kill as he had to avoid being caught from behind.
Eventually, however, the Mig formations were separated and Williams was able to isolate three of the fighters.
“I turned into them and shot the leader. He turned away and the wingman rolled down on me and we were passing belly to belly as I raked him in with a long jab. He caught fire and went down,” he explained.
The squadron leader then leaned toward Williams, who turned on him and fired at point-blank range, and he went down as well.
The last of the three Migs swung around for more – Williams fired again – and saw bits of the plane falling off as it flew away.
But the fight was far from over for Williams, whose hydraulics had been blown to bits. He was also out of ammo.
Williams made his way back to the Oriskany and dove deep into the cloud cover.
A Soviet Union MiG-15 climbing out after takeoff with mountains behind. The terrifying “Mig Alley” was named after the jets that tormented US pilots during the Korean War
As he hobbled on, his wounded Panther shaking from the turbulence, he considered getting out.
“I knew I wouldn’t have survived the time it took to find me in this weather,” he told Task and Purpose.
Then, seeing the fleet, destroyers opened fire, mistaking his jet for enemy aircraft.
He told command he could not slow his plane below 195mph – making the approach dangerous as the Panthers’ usual landing speed was 120mph.
Aboard the Oriskany, ground crew prepared for a crash landing.
But he managed to land the jet safely after the ship veered away from the wind.
Aboard the ship, 263 holes were counted in the Panther, which he never saw again – he was reportedly pushed off the deck into the sea while the weapons camera was taken to Secret Service.
The threat to national security soon dawned on the naval command, who discovered Williams had engaged the Soviet Air Force.
Migs flying in the Chinese and Korean Air Forces were known to be flown by Soviet volunteers, but this was an escalation with the potential to heat up the Cold War.
A Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 fighter jet is seen in the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group cemetery at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona
Williams was recruited by Navy Adm. Robert Briscoe, commander of Naval Forces Far East, instructed that although it was confirmed that he had shot down three and possibly four Migs, he should never discuss the dogfight.
For the rest of his 23-year career, including more than 100 missions in Vietnam, the only official record was a single confirmed kill and a Silver Star.
In the early 2000s, US records from the Korean War were finally declassified and William’s story became known in military circles.
Williams’ heroism was detailed in a 2014 book by Russian historian Igor Seidov entitled “Red Devils Over the Yalu: A Chronicle of Soviet Aerial Operations in the Korea War”.
According to this book, seven Migs left a base in Vladivostok that morning, and only one returned. It confirms that four Migs were shot down by a single American plane, one was shot and crashed on return, and a sixth was never found.
Now, after a long campaign dubbed “Operation Just Reward,” Williams will receive the Navy Cross — presented by Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, who approved the upgrade from the Silver Star last month.
“Having reviewed the results of numerous investigations related to the case of Captain Royce Williams, I have found this case to be special and extraordinary,” Del Toro said in a statement. “His actions stood out during a high-risk mission and deserve the credit they deserve.”