For 35 harrowing minutes, Royce Williams, a native of Wilmot, South Dakota, turned and weaved his F9F-5 Panther above the Sea of Japan near the borders of North Korea, China and the Soviet Union. Williams was attempting to gain the advantage over at least seven MiG-15 jets during the engagement, which took place Nov. 18, 1952 during the Korean War.

By the time the engagement ended, Williams had shot down as many as 5 of the enemy fighters. His own plane had been badly shot up, and he made an emergency landing on the U.S.S. Oriskany.

While it was not uncommon for allied pilots to engage in air-to-air combat with North Korean and Chinese pilots, Williams’ engagement that day had taken place against Soviet pilots flying from an intercept squadron in Vladivostok.

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