V 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5909 
To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to E. Royce Williams 
for acts of valor during the Korean War. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 5, 2021 
Mr. ISSA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor 
to E. Royce Williams for acts of valor during the Korean 
War. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) On November 18, 1952, then Lieutenant E. 
Royce Williams and Combat Air Patrol Task Force 
77 carried out an airstrike on the Hoeryong indus-
trial complex near the Korea-Russia border. In re-
sponse, seven Soviet MiG–15s launched from a So-
viet base near Vladivostok. Williams and three other 
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US pilots flying F9F–5 Panthers were dispatched 
from the U.S.S. Oriskany to pursue the seven MiG– 
15s in blizzard conditions to engage over the Sea of 
Japan. 
(2) When the Flight Leader’s instruments re-
ported a fuel-pump warning, he was escorted back to 
the U.S.S. Oriskany by his wingman. 
(3) Williams and his wingman, Dave Rowlands, 
remained airborne. Williams fired upon one MiG–15 
and Rowlands followed it out of formation, leaving 
Williams to pursue the remaining six MiG–15s on 
his own. In his efforts, Williams expended all of his 
ammunition and shot down four, very likely five, of 
the seven Soviet MiG–15s, setting the American avi-
ator record for MiGs shot in a single sortie and the 
only naval dogfight over water in the Korean War. 
(4) After sustaining a hit from a 37 millimeter 
shell that disabled his electrical and hydraulic sys-
tems, Williams underwent enemy fire while returning 
to the carrier as well as friendly fire from escort ves-
sels after being mistaken for enemy aircraft. 
(5) Without rudders to slow his descent, Wil-
liams landed on the U.S.S. Oriskany at a speed of 
170 knots, miraculously able to safely engage the 
number three wire. 
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(6) Williams’ aircraft sustained 263 holes and 
a foot-long gash while the only injury sustained by 
Williams was a bloody neck, chafed by his gear. Wil-
liams was told not to speak of the events of that day 
by his commanders, and, at the time, was only offi-
cially credited for one downed and one damaged 
enemy in the fight. 
(7) Witnesses to this heroism were the first unit 
of the then newly created National Security Agency, 
codenamed ‘‘Canoe’’, aboard the USS Helena. Inter-
cepting Soviet communications, the unit recorded 
the transmissions that three Soviet MiGs were shot 
down, and one pilot ejected his compromised aircraft 
and then died. One aircraft returned to base in 
Vladivostok. 
(8) At the end of the Cold War, Russia released 
the names of the four pilots shot down in combat on 
November 18, 1952. 
(9) When Williams was awarded the Silver Star 
for his actions on November 18, 1952, the drafters 
did not have access to the top secret radio intel-
ligence or the subsequent Russian report released 
after the Cold War. 
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(10) Williams served in the Navy for over 30 
years, flew over 220 missions in Korea and Vietnam, 
and retired in 1984. 
(11) E. Royce Williams deserves the Congres-
sional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on No-
vember 18, 1952, when he successfully eliminated 
four, likely five, of seven MiG–15s in a far less supe-
rior aircraft during the 35-minute-long aerial battle 
wherein he never once sought safety in the clouds or 
abandoned the mission despite being outnumbered 
and outgunned. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR 
TO E. ROYCE WILLIAMS FOR ACTS OF VALOR 
DURING THE KOREAN WAR. 
(a) WAIVER
OF
TIME
LIMITATIONS.—Notwith-
standing the time limitations specified in section 8298 of 
title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation 
with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons 
who served in the Armed Forces, the President may award 
the Medal of Honor under section 8291 of such title to 
E. Royce Williams for the acts of valor described in sub-
section (b). 
(b) ACTS OF VALOR DESCRIBED.—The acts of valor 
described in this subsection are the actions of E. Royce 
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Williams, as a lieutenant in the Navy, on November 18, 
1952. 
Æ 
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