He is known for his solo dogfight with seven Soviet pilots during the Korean War, which, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune, has been called "one of the greatest feats in aviation history" by military experts.

[5] The story of his battle with the Soviet-piloted MiGs led to Williams being debriefed at the time by admirals, the Secretary of Defence, and a few weeks later by newly inaugurated President Dwight D.

[7] A 2014 Russian book, Red Devils over the Yalu: A Chronicle of Soviet Aerial Operations in the Korean War 1950–53, reported the battle and named Williams.

[9] The four MiGs were flown by Soviet Naval Aviation pilots, with Captains Belyakov and Vandalov, and Lieutenants Pakhomkin and Tarshinov being shot down.

In 2014, retired Rear Admiral Doniphan Shelton became aware of Williams's feat, and he tried unsuccessfully for years to get the Navy or Department of Defense to recommend him for the medal.

[11] On 14 July 2022, a bipartisan group of five congressmembers persuaded the House of Representatives to approve an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act which would award the medal to Williams.

[12][7] In 2021, one veteran who helped Shelton with his quest believed that there was still only a 75 percent chance of the medal being awarded; the key problem is that the dogfight is not recorded in official U.S.

[13] The award was approved by U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, who said, "Having reviewed the findings of now numerous investigations related to the case of Capt.

[2][10] The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Elmer Royce Williams (NSN: 0-463056), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in action while leading in aerial flight a division of three jet fighter planes attached to Fighter Squadron SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE (VF-781), embarked in the U.S.S.

This skill and daring exhibited by Lieutenant Williams and his completer disregard for his own personal safety materially aided the accomplishment of the mission of the Task Force.

[16] In 2020, a 20-minute documentary, Actions Speak Louder Than Medals – the Royce Williams Story, directed by John Mollison, was screened at the GI Film Festival, San Diego.