Eric Slover mentioned as Trump awards Medal of Honor to 100-year-old veteran during State of the Union

eric slover appears in the coverage of a State of the Union moment that saw President Trump present the Medal of Honor to 100-year-old E. Royce Williams; the role of eric slover is unclear in the provided context. The presentation — and a separate House confrontation over a protest sign — drew attention on back-to-back days in late February 2026.

Trump presents Medal of Honor to 100-year-old E. Royce Williams during State of the Union

President Trump honored E. Royce Williams, a 100-year-old retired Navy captain, by awarding him the Medal of Honor during the State of the Union. 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 presentation marked the first time a president awarded the Medal of Honor during a State of the Union address. Mr. Trump called Williams earlier this month.

Details of Williams's 1952 engagement: seven MiGs, four downed in a half-hour dogfight

Williams was part of what the record describes as 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 MiG-15 fighter jets.

The Soviet aircraft opened fire; Williams later recalled, "Since they started the fight, " he said, "I shot back. " He struck one MiG while his fellow American pilot pursued it, then, flying alone, engaged the remaining aircraft and downed three more while maneuvering through what military accounts later described as hundreds of rounds of incoming fire.

Damage, decisions and secrecy: carrier landing, avoided ejection and decades of silence

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 said he had considered ejecting but concluded 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 at a moment when the two Cold War adversaries were intent on avoiding open war.

For decades he spoke of the incident 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. In recent years, the U. S. military published detailed descriptions of the encounter and portrayed it as one of the most intense aerial engagements of the war.

Lawmakers, awards and timeline: Navy Cross, waiver of five-year rule and Rep. Darell Issa's push

Three years ago Williams was awarded the Navy Cross. Republican Rep. Darell Issa of California, whose San Diego-area district includes Williams's 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. "

Rep. Al Green ejected for holding sign; he told reporters "Trump got the message"

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.

Remarks from Williams and the record of his service

Williams has described his actions in brief public remarks over time. "In the moment I was a fighter pilot doing my job, " he said in a 2022 interview. "I was only shooting what I had. " The half-hour engagement in 1952, the secret classification of Soviet involvement for decades, the later publication of military accounts and Williams's recent decorations are all part of the record presented during the State of the Union presentation.

The item was updated on February 24, 2026 at 11: 30 PM ET. Any connection or role for eric slover beyond being mentioned here is unclear in the provided context.