Trump to give Medal of Honor to pilot who secretly faced off with Soviet jets

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President Trump plans to grant the Medal of Honor to a retired Navy skipper whose daring faceoff with Soviet combatant jets remained concealed for a half-century and a worker who died successful Afghanistan portion protecting idiosyncratic from a termination bomber.

Mr. Trump called Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams and the household of deceased Army Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis to pass them of the decision, a White House authoritative told CBS News.

The Medal of Honor is the U.S.'s highest subject award, with around 3,500 people receiving the medal since it was introduced during the Civil War.

Michael Ollis

One of the newest recipients is Ollis, who was killed successful Afghanistan aft physically shielding Polish Army Lt. Karol Cierpica from a termination bomber.

The basal successful Afghanistan wherever Ollis was stationed was breached by a car bomb and a radical of fighters wearing termination vests connected 1 time successful 2013, according to the Army. Ollis discovered a wounded Cierpica aft approaching the blast tract and, portion performing archetypal assistance connected the Polish soldier, an insurgent approached them. Ollis past moved betwixt the insurgent and Cierpica and died erstwhile the termination vest detonated, the subject has said.

Ollis, a Staten Island native, was fixed a Distinguished Service Cross successful 2019, with Gen. James McConville saying astatine the time: "Every procreation has its heroes … Michael Ollis is 1 of ours."

Ollis' parents, Bob and Linda Ollis, said they are "extremely grateful" successful a connection by a nonprofit founded successful their son's honor.

"Knowing that Michael's life, bequest and last enactment of courageousness person not been forgotten leaves america with a feeling of overwhelming pridefulness and eternal gratitude," the parents wrote.

E. Royce Williams

Another caller medal recipient is 100-year-old Williams, who changeable down 4 Soviet MiG-15 jets during a once-secret 35-minute confrontation that the subject has described successful the past arsenic the "longest dogfight successful U.S. subject history."

In 1952, during the Korean War, Williams and different American aviator encountered a radical of 7 Soviet jets portion flying disconnected the seashore of the Korean Peninsula. The Soviets began firing, he said successful the past, and "since they started the fight, I changeable back."

He deed 1 of the MiG-15s, and the different American level followed it. Then, connected his own, helium changeable different 3 Soviet planes, dodging hundreds of rounds of fire, according to descriptions of the combat that person been published by the U.S. military in caller years.

"In the infinitesimal I was a combatant aviator doing my job," Williams told quality outlet Task & Purpose successful a 2022 interview. "I was lone shooting what I had."

After Williams' level was hit, helium flew backmost to an American craft bearer and landed nether precocious speed, aboriginal saying helium felt the frigid conditions were too unsafe for him to eject himself.

Williams says helium was told to support concealed the airborne U.S.-Soviet firefight, a uncommon subject faceoff betwixt 2 Cold War archrivals who sought to debar nonstop warfare with each other. He didn't sermon it with anybody for decades — including his wife.

The cognition yet became nationalist successful the decades pursuing the autumn of the Soviet Union. Williams was awarded the Navy Cross 3 years ago.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California, whose San Diego-area territory is location to Williams, has pushed for the retired Navy pilot to beryllium awarded the Medal of Honor. Last year, lawmakers authorized the president to assistance him the medal, overriding the accustomed request that Medal of Honor recipients get the grant within 5 years of the enactment that justified it.

Issa wrote successful a connection Wednesday that Williams "richly deserves" the recognition.

"The heroism and valor helium demonstrated for much than 35 harrowing minutes astir 70 years agone successful the skies implicit the North Pacific and the seashore of North Korea unquestionably saved the lives of his chap pilots, shipmates, and crew," Issa wrote.

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