Eric Slover and eric slover: Trump awards Medal of Honor to 100-year-old veteran during State of the Union
President Trump honored 100-year-old E. Royce Williams on Tuesday night by awarding him the Medal of Honor during the State of the Union; this marked the first time a president has given that decoration during a State of the Union address. eric slover unclear in the provided context.
Medal of Honor presentation
The presentation took place during the State of the Union and was described as the first instance of a president awarding the Medal of Honor during that address. Mr. Trump said, "Tonight, at 100 years old, this brave Navy captain is finally getting the recognition he deserves. He was a legend long before this evening. " Williams stood as first lady Melania Trump placed the medal around his neck. The timing of the medal presentation is notable as Mr. Trump is set to award the Medal of Honor to a unclear in the provided context.
Details of the 1952 dogfight
Williams, a retired Navy captain, was part of what was called the longest aerial engagement in U. S. Navy history: a half-hour dogfight in 1952 in which he fought seven Soviet MiG fighter jets and shot down four. At the height of the Korean War, Williams and another American pilot were flying off the coast of the Korean Peninsula when they encountered seven Soviet MiG-15 fighter jets. The Soviet aircraft opened fire; "Since they started the fight, " he said, "I shot back. " Williams struck one of the MiGs while his fellow American pilot pursued it. Then, flying alone, Williams engaged the remaining aircraft and downed three more Soviet planes while maneuvering through what military accounts later described as hundreds of rounds of incoming fire. In recent years, the U. S. military has published detailed descriptions of the encounter and has portrayed it as one of the most intense aerial engagements of the war.
Damage, landing and secrecy
After his aircraft was struck, Williams turned back toward an American aircraft carrier and guided the damaged plane in for a landing at high speed. He later said he had considered ejecting but concluded that the frigid conditions over the water made such a decision perilous. Williams has said he was instructed to keep the airborne clash a secret — a rare and politically fraught confrontation between American and Soviet forces when the two Cold War adversaries were intent on avoiding open war. For decades he spoke of it to no one, not even his wife. Details of the operations surfaced only years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, as archival records and military histories were made public.
Honors, advocacy and timeline
Three years ago Williams was awarded the Navy Cross, described in the record as the highest combat award that can be given to a service member of either the Navy or Marine Corps for valor in combat. Republican Rep. Darell Issa of California, whose San Diego-area district includes Williams' home, pressed for the retired Navy pilot to receive the Medal of Honor. Last year, lawmakers authorized the president to bestow the decoration, waiving the longstanding requirement that it be awarded within five years of the act of valor. "The heroism and valor he demonstrated for more than 35 harrowing minutes almost 70 years ago in the skies over the North Pacific and the coast of North Korea unquestionably saved the lives of his fellow pilots, shipmates, and crew, " Issa wrote earlier this month. Mr. Trump called Williams earlier this month.
Rep. Al Green ejected
On Feb. 25, 2026, Rep. Al Green was ejected earlier from the House chamber for holding a sign that said "Black people aren't apes. " He was still holding the sign when he spoke to reporters in the Capitol, telling them President Trump "got the message" on the sign.
Eric Slover and context
eric slover appears in the record only as a name required for this piece; the role, identity or connection of Eric Slover is unclear in the provided context. No additional factual detail about Eric Slover is present in the material supplied.
Updated on: February 24, 2026 / 11: 30 PM EST. Feb. 25, 2026.
Closing: President Trump's onstage presentation of the Medal of Honor to E. Royce Williams marked an unprecedented State of the Union decoration for valor, while separate Capitol events on Feb. 25, 2026 saw Rep. Al Green ejected for holding a protest sign and telling reporters the president had "got the message. "
