This bill doesn't change any state law—it's a formal recognition by the South Dakota Legislature honoring Captain Royce Williams, a South Dakota native, for his exceptional military service and bravery during a 1952 naval combat mission against Soviet aircraft over North Korea. The commemoration acknowledges that Williams engaged in what is believed to be the longest dogfight in U.S. Navy history, shooting down four enemy planes, and that the President recently recommended him for the Medal of Honor.
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This bill does not directly amend codified state law.
The enrolled version added ten bipartisan co-sponsors (Representatives Baxter, Emery, Massie, Muckey, and Van Diepen plus Senators Duhamel, Howard, Otten, Perry, Reed, and Zikmund) to the original bill introduced by Representative Goodwin alone. This change broadens legislative support for the commemoration without altering its substantive purpose of recognizing Captain Royce Williams' military service and bravery.
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