Ex-US Navy pilot, Korean war 'Top Gun' Royce Williams, honoured for stunning 1952 heroics

Dubbed the real-life Korean War “Top Gun” in the year 1952, outnumbered by the Soviet jets nearly 10 years before Hollywood actor Tom Cruise donned the role of Maverick, the hero American pilot Royce Williams shot down four Russian MiGs in an aerial dogfight during the Cold war era.

He was honoured with the Navy Cross on Friday, the service’s second-highest award for the military at 97 years young, for shooting 263 times at four Soviet enemy combat jets understood as the longest solo aerial dogfight. Williams was flying the Grumman F9F Panther fighter jet, United States Airforce's single-seat carrier-based warplane widely deployed between Jun. 25, 1950, to Jul. 27, 1953 during the Korean conflict.

The record of the first air-to-air combat of fighter jets dates to Nov. 8, 1950, during the attack on the Sinuiju bridges near the Yalu River that separated North Korea from China. The US Air Force F-80C belonging to the 16th Fighter Squadron for the first time encountered a Russian MiG-15, according to Barrett Tilman and Henk van der Lugt in the book VF-11/111 Sundowners.

Aged just 27, US pilot Williams was deployed for the task force in the Sea of Japan [East Sea], located approximately 100 miles off the North Korean coast. He flew off the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany with three other pilots for air combat when the commander and his wingman suffered a technical glitch and had to fly back to the carrier. Left alone, with another pilot, Williams tackled at least seven Soviet MiG-15 fighter jets that were headed towards the US task force.

F9F Panther. Credit: USS Midway Museaum

Sworn to secrecy for 50 years

Retired in 1975, Navy Captain Williams was sworn to secrecy for more than 50 years over fears that his singular jet attack on the Russian fighter planes might trigger a direct confrontation with Moscow. He had shot down all the enemy planes in less than 30 minutes on a cold November day in 1952, San Diego, California-based KUSI station reported on January 21. "He is a legend no one would hear about for more than 50 years," the broadcaster noted.

Williams was honored not only for his feat of aerial combat but also keeping quiet about the dogfight for many years, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. He will be awarded the US Navy's second-highest award for combat valor at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.

Today, the incredible story of Navy combat pilot Royce Williams is fully told — and he receives the Navy Cross at 97 years young. This is an award he did not seek, but deserves. Watch the live stream here: https://t.co/xTkxMvFgPa pic.twitter.com/FsTSJnTzDH

— Rep. Darrell Issa (@repdarrellissa)

Williams was severely wounded as he took on four Soviet military aircraft, and had even considered ejecting on the hostile territory. This, although, could have led to his death sentence. Boldly, the former naval aviator limped his way back into the US Navy Essex-class aircraft carrier—USS Oriskany aircraft carrier. 

“Freedom does not come cheap,” Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said in his remarks to American broadcaster CNN, adding that he had reviewed to honour Williams with the sailors’ awards. Williams’ case “stood out above all others". 

“Freedom comes through the sacrifice of all those who have and continue to serve in today’s military. Your actions that day kept you free. They kept your shipmates free in Task Force 77. Indeed, they kept all of us free," furthermore the US Navy Secretary noted. "It was very clear to me that his actions were truly extraordinary and more closely aligned with the criteria describing a higher medal," Carlos Del Toro stressed. 

Today I had the tremendous honor of presenting a long-overdue #NavyCross to Captain Williams for his actions on May 7, 1953. Thank you to you and your family, Captain, for your bravery and perseverance. pic.twitter.com/rL9zNyBftm

— Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro (@SECNAV)