Royce Williams - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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Vietnam War

Click on Veteran's photo to see their service story. These Warriors served during the Vietnam War

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I donate?

I have created a way to accept donations to grow the project, use the WWII Veterans Portrait Series
Please email

Where are you located?

I live in the San Diego area but have traveled to many locations to interview and photograph Veterans.


How Long is an Appointment?

Appointments usually last an hour. But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some still photographers for in the project.

Do you accept reservations?

Yes is the simple answer to the question. Each appointment is set up as an individual session. Group sessions have been set up when I visited a senior living facility or many of the California Veterans Homes.

Copyright © 2025 Mickey Strand – Veterans Series
United States Navy Captain - Pilot / NFO World War II - Korean War, Veitnam Medal of Honor recipient Ace of the 38th Parallel Captain Elmer Royce Williams, a Medal of Honor recipient, reflected on his extensive 37-year military career, which began when he enlisted during World War II and spanned several branches of service. After completing rigorous naval aviation training, he piloted aircraft such as Corsairs and early jet fighters during the Korean War, notably surviving an intense dogfight against Soviet MiG jets. Despite injury restrictions that prevented him from continuing as a pilot, he continued to serve in leadership roles, including commanding air wings, serving as a Naval Flight Officer, and holding significant positions, including the first inspector general for the Pacific Command. His experiences highlight a lifelong dedication to the military, culminating in his retirement as a Navy Captain after decades of diverse operational and administrative assignments. Elmer Royce Williams served 37 years on active duty from 1942 to 1980. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy (after serving in the Minnesota Army National Guard). Captain Williams grew up in Wilmont, SD, and Clinton, Minnesota, and during the Great Depression, his father used his WWI bonus to move the family to Clinton, buying a storefront to set up a grocery store with living quarters in the back. Royce attended school in Clinton and graduated from high school in 1943. At age 11, he met his future wife of 67 years, Camilla Pearl (Cammie), while attending Sunday school. They had three sons together, Bruce, Craig, and Mark. Royce enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard while in high school and attended boot camp at Camp Ripley, MN. He enrolled in the Naval Aviation Cadet program in 1942/1943 and attended Navy boot camp in Corpus Christi, Texas, before completing a two-year flight-training pipeline. This training included Flight Preparatory School (Corpus Christi), War Training School (Conway, AR & Murray, KY, flying N2S Stearman biplanes), Pre-flight at the University of Georgia & Memphis, TN, and Basic/Advanced Flight Training at NAS Pensacola, FL (flying SNJs and SBD Dauntless dive bombers), receiving his Naval Aviator wings in mid-August 1945. Royce later earned a 4-year degree at the University of Minnesota and attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He completed operational training at Opa-locka (Miami), Florida, and became carrier-qualified on the USS Ranger (CV-4). He was then assigned to a Hellcat squadron on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) in Norfolk, Virginia. Shortly after, he transferred to a Hellcat squadron on the USS Princeton (CVL-23) to return the body of Philippine President Manuel Quezon to the Philippines. He flew out of Tillamook, Oregon, for gunnery training before his Grumman F8F Bearcat squadron transferred to NAS Jacksonville, FL, making another South Pacific cruise. Royce reported to NAS Miramar and was assigned to VF-781 Pacemakers, flying Grumman F9F-5 Panther jets off the USS Oriskany (CVA-34) in 1952. On November 18, 1952, he engaged seven Soviet MiG-15 fighters alone off North Korea for a 35-minute dogfight, the longest dogfight in U.S. Navy and military history, shooting down/hitting multiple MiGs and surviving 263 shrapnel holes in his jet before escaping into the clouds and landing back on the carrier. The NSA and Navy classified the incident as top secret for decades. Williams was awarded the Silver Star, which was upgraded to a Navy Cross in 2023. In 2026, his award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. During the Vietnam War, Royce served as CAG-11 Air Wing Commander and Qualified as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO) in F-4 Phantoms. He was stationed at the Pentagon (OpNAV): Executive Assistant to the Director of Naval Aviation (OP-05); helped change Title 10 federal law in 1968 to allow NFOs to assume command of operational units. His other senior Leadership Roles included the Navy Director of Prisoner of War Matters, Commanding Officer of the Pacific Command ship USS El Dorado (LCC-11), first Inspector General for CINCPAC, and Chief of Staff for Commander Western Pacific (COMWESTPAC) in Japan. Captain Williams retired in 1980 after completing 37 years of active duty service.
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Royce Williams - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
United States Navy Captain - Pilot / NFO World War II - Korean War, Veitnam Medal of Honor recipient Ace of the 38th Parallel Captain Elmer Royce Williams, a Medal of Honor recipient, reflected on his extensive 37-year military career, which began when he enlisted during World War II and spanned several branches of service. After completing rigorous naval aviation training, he piloted aircraft such as Corsairs and early jet fighters during the Korean War, notably surviving an intense dogfight against Soviet MiG jets. Despite injury restrictions that prevented him from continuing as a pilot, he continued to serve in leadership roles, including commanding air wings, serving as a Naval Flight Officer, and holding significant positions, including the first inspector general for the Pacific Command. His experiences highlight a lifelong dedication to the military, culminating in his retirement as a Navy Captain after decades of diverse operational and administrative assignments. Elmer Royce Williams served 37 years on active duty from 1942 to 1980. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy (after serving in the Minnesota Army National Guard). Captain Williams grew up in Wilmont, SD, and Clinton, Minnesota, and during the Great Depression, his father used his WWI bonus to move the family to Clinton, buying a storefront to set up a grocery store with living quarters in the back. Royce attended school in Clinton and graduated from high school in 1943. At age 11, he met his future wife of 67 years, Camilla Pearl (Cammie), while attending Sunday school. They had three sons together, Bruce, Craig, and Mark. Royce enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard while in high school and attended boot camp at Camp Ripley, MN. He enrolled in the Naval Aviation Cadet program in 1942/1943 and attended Navy boot camp in Corpus Christi, Texas, before completing a two-year flight-training pipeline. This training included Flight Preparatory School (Corpus Christi), War Training School (Conway, AR & Murray, KY, flying N2S Stearman biplanes), Pre-flight at the University of Georgia & Memphis, TN, and Basic/Advanced Flight Training at NAS Pensacola, FL (flying SNJs and SBD Dauntless dive bombers), receiving his Naval Aviator wings in mid-August 1945. Royce later earned a 4-year degree at the University of Minnesota and attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He completed operational training at Opa-locka (Miami), Florida, and became carrier-qualified on the USS Ranger (CV-4). He was then assigned to a Hellcat squadron on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) in Norfolk, Virginia. Shortly after, he transferred to a Hellcat squadron on the USS Princeton (CVL-23) to return the body of Philippine President Manuel Quezon to the Philippines. He flew out of Tillamook, Oregon, for gunnery training before his Grumman F8F Bearcat squadron transferred to NAS Jacksonville, FL, making another South Pacific cruise. Royce reported to NAS Miramar and was assigned to VF-781 Pacemakers, flying Grumman F9F-5 Panther jets off the USS Oriskany (CVA-34) in 1952. On November 18, 1952, he engaged seven Soviet MiG-15 fighters alone off North Korea for a 35-minute dogfight, the longest dogfight in U.S. Navy and military history, shooting down/hitting multiple MiGs and surviving 263 shrapnel holes in his jet before escaping into the clouds and landing back on the carrier. The NSA and Navy classified the incident as top secret for decades. Williams was awarded the Silver Star, which was upgraded to a Navy Cross in 2023. In 2026, his award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. During the Vietnam War, Royce served as CAG-11 Air Wing Commander and Qualified as a Naval Flight Officer (NFO) in F-4 Phantoms. He was stationed at the Pentagon (OpNAV): Executive Assistant to the Director of Naval Aviation (OP-05); helped change Title 10 federal law in 1968 to allow NFOs to assume command of operational units. His other senior Leadership Roles included the Navy Director of Prisoner of War Matters, Commanding Officer of the Pacific Command ship USS El Dorado (LCC-11), first Inspector General for CINCPAC, and Chief of Staff for Commander Western Pacific (COMWESTPAC) in Japan. Captain Williams retired in 1980 after completing 37 years of active duty service.