Wilmot native honored for aerial dogfight in Korean War
Museum Display Royce Williams is pictured above in front of a replica of his Panther fighter jet on the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum. Four MiG symbols were painted on it to represent his “kills” during a single mission on Nov. 18, 1952 during the Korean War.
Sixty-eight years ago, a Wilmot native encountered seven Soviet MiG-15 fighter jets and single-handedly protected a carrier task force from an incident that could have escalated into World War III. It was during the Korean War, and he is certified to have shot down four MiGs with his inferior F9F-5 Panther, and damaged two more.
Williams kept the 35-minute encounter a secret for 40 years, until the Soviet Union dissolved, and then told only his wife. The story got out to family and friends, but another ten years passed before Williams told the story publicly, upon request, at a military symposium in Pensacola, FL. For more of this story and many more please purchase a copy of this weeks Sisseton Courier on news stands now or a copy of the e-edtion from this website..
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