On Wednesday, Disneyland will honor 101-year-old Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Navy Capt. E. Royce Williams during a special Flag Retreat ceremony in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A. The ceremony is one of Disneyland’s longest-standing traditions, dating back to the park’s earliest days in 1955.
Williams is the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean War and received the nation’s highest military decoration earlier this year at the State of the Union Address.
He had a storied career as a naval aviator serving in World War II, Korea and Vietnam where he flew more than 220 combat missions. On a classified mission during the Korean War on Nov. 18, 1952 , he single-handedly engaged seven Soviet MiG-15 fighter jets while flying from the USS Oriskany in what is widely regarded as the longest dogfight in U.S. military history.
In addition to being honored during the evening’s Flag Retreat during his visit to Disneyland, Williams and a group of fellow aviators will spend the day enjoying attractions and meeting Pilot Minnie Mouse at Sleeping Beauty Castle where he will be named an Honorary Citizen of Disneyland—a rare and distinguished honor by Disneyland.
