Eric Slover: eric slover unclear in the provided context as Trump awards Medal of Honor to 100-year-old veteran

President Trump honored a 100-year-old veteran Tuesday night by awarding E. Royce Williams the Medal of Honor for his actions in a secret mission during the Korean War, and eric slover is unclear in the provided context. The presentation, delivered during the State of the Union, marked the first time a president has awarded the medal during that address.

Medal of Honor presentation

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 the first lady, Melania Trump, placed the medal around his neck. The event took place Tuesday night and an update of the reporting lists February 24, 2026 at 11: 30 PM ET.

The 1952 dogfight

Williams, a retired Navy captain, was part of what is described as the longest aerial engagement in U. S. Navy history when he fought seven Soviet MiG fighter jets and shot down four during a half-hour dogfight in 1952. 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; Williams later said, "Since they started the fight, I shot back. "

Combat actions and quotes

Williams struck one of the MiGs and his fellow American pilot pursued it. Then, flying alone, he engaged the remaining aircraft, downing three more while maneuvering through what military accounts later described as hundreds of rounds of incoming fire. Williams said in a 2022 interview, "In the moment I was a fighter pilot doing my job. I was only shooting what I had. " After his aircraft was struck, Williams turned back toward an American aircraft carrier, guiding 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.

Secrecy and later recognition

Soviet involvement in the encounter was top secret at the time, and records of the event were classified for decades. Williams has said he was instructed to keep the airborne clash a secret; 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. Three years ago, Williams was awarded the Navy Cross, the highest combat award that can be given to a service member of either the Navy or Marine Corps for valor in combat.

Local advocacy and congressional action

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. Issa wrote earlier this month: "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. " Mr. Trump called Williams earlier this month.

Eric Slover: unclear in the provided context

The context supplied for this report includes no factual details about Eric Slover beyond the name itself. eric slover is therefore unclear in the provided context.

Capitol confrontation and sign

Separately, 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 on Feb. 25, 2026, telling them President Trump "got the message" on the sign.

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

Closing: President Trump presented the Medal of Honor to E. Royce Williams during the State of the Union for actions in a secret 1952 mission; Williams' dogfight with seven Soviet MiG-15s, his subsequent honors, the congressional waiver, and Rep. Al Green's ejection for holding a sign are all included in the record, while the role or relevance of Eric Slover is unclear in the provided context.