Lieutenant Williams served was the pilot of a F4U-4 Corsair fighter with Fighter Squadron 193 aboard the USS Princeton (CV-37). On 17 September 1952, his aircraft crashed, exploded and burned on take-off. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

For his leadership and valor, Lieutenant Williams was awarded the Navy Cross, the Air Medal with Gold Star, the Navy Commendation Ribbon, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.