The National WWII Museum in New Orleans held its annual Veterans Day celebration with free admission for all veterans to attend the ceremony.
Seven WWII veterans were present, including Navy veteran Captain Elmer “Royce” Williams, who at age 100 received a Korean War Medal of Honor earlier this year.
He was honored for his solo dogfight against seven Soviet pilots in 1952, an act credited with saving countless sailors’ lives.
Williams addressed the crowd, sharing stories about his father and brother’s military service, his reasons for joining the armed forces, and the importance of celebrations like Veterans Day.
“I started out in the army when I was 16, two months after Pearl Harbor, and I served for 37 years,” Williams said.
“It was God,” he said of the dogfight. “I should not have survived 35 minutes. Longest air battle ever. But that’s what I was made for.”
During the ceremony, retired US Navy Rear Admiral James D. Olson was honored with the MMAC Veteran of the Year award. He was a pilot, credited with saving two others’ lives.
“I accept this award conditionally, I accept it for those who served in the Vietnam War especially, an unpopular and thankless war but we kept going,” he said.
The celebrations will continue later this week with the victory ball on Friday, which is a fundraiser to support the museum’s operations. Then on Saturday , the museum’s annual Family and Military Appreciation Block Party will feature free Museum admission, kid-friendly activities and entertainment.
READ MORE:WWII museum hosts Veterans Day celebration in New Orleans
