Thomas J. Hudner, Jr.
| Thomas J. Hudner Jr. | |
|---|---|
Hudner at the U.S. Naval Academy in December 2008.
|
|
| Birth name | Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr. |
| Nickname(s) | "Lou" |
| Born |
August 31, 1924 Fall River, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1946–1973 |
| Rank |
 Captain
|
| Unit | |
| Commands held | Training Squadron 24 |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Air Medal |
Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr. (born August 31, 1924) is a retired officer of the United States Navy and a former naval aviator. He rose to the rank of captain, and received the Medal of Honor for his actions in trying to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War.
Born in Fall River, Massachusetts, Hudner attended Phillips Academy and the United States Naval Academy. Initially uninterested in aviation, he eventually took up flying and joined Fighter Squadron 32, flying the F4U Corsair at the outbreak of the Korean War. Arriving near Korea in October 1950, he flew support missions from the USS Leyte.
On 4 December 1950, Hudner and Brown were among a group of pilots on patrol near the Chosin Reservoir when Brown's Corsair was struck by ground fire from Chinese troops and crashed. In an attempt to save Brown from his burning aircraft, Hudner intentionally crash-landed his own aircraft on a snowy mountain in freezing temperatures to help Brown. In spite of these efforts, Brown died of his injuries and Hudner was forced to evacuate, having also been injured in the landing.
Following the incident, Hudner held positions aboard several U.S. Navy ships and with a number of aviation units, including a brief stint as Executive Officer of the USS Kitty Hawk during a tour in the Vietnam War, before retiring in 1973. In subsequent years, he has worked for various veterans organizations in the United States. He is currently living in retirement in Concord, Massachusetts. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner will be named for him.
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Wikipedia