| Thomas Jerome Hudner, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Nickname | "Lou"[1] |
| Born | 31 August 1924 (age 87) Fall River, Massachusetts |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1946–1973 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Fighter Squadron 32 USS Helena (CA-75) Carrier Division 3 Development Squadron 3 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Fighter Squadron 53 USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) |
| Commands held | Training Squadron 24 |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Battle of Chosin Reservoir Vietnam War |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
Thomas Jerome Hudner, Jr. (born 31 August 1924) is a retired officer of the United States Navy and a former naval aviator. Hudner 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 then the United States Naval Academy. Initially not interested in aviation, Hudner became interested in flying and joined Fighter Squadron 32, flying the F4U Corsair at the outbreak of the Korean War. Arriving near Korea in October 1950, Hudner flew support missions from the USS Leyte.
On 4 December 1950, Hudner and Brown were among a group of aircraft 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 succumbed to his injuries and Hudner was forced to evacuate, having also been injured in the landing.
Following the incident, Hudner held a number of positions in the US Navy aboard several ships and with several aviation units, including as first officer of the USS Kitty Hawk during a brief tour in the Vietnam War, before retiring in 1973. In subsequent years, he has won several awards and worked for various veterans organizations in the United States. he is currently living in retirement in Concord, Massachusetts.
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Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr. was born 31 August 1924 in Fall River, Massachusetts his father, Thomas Hudner Sr. was a businessman of Irish descent who ran a chain of grocery stores, Hudner's Markets.[2] He had three younger brothers, James, Richard, and Phillip.[3] Hudner entered the prestigious Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts in 1939. His family had a long history in the academy, with his father Thomas Hudner Sr. graduating in 1911 and uncle Harold Hudner graduating in 1921. Hudner's three younger brothers would follow; James in 1944, Richard in 1946 and Phillip in 1954. Hudner was very active during his time in the high school, including a team captain in the school track team as well as a member of the football and lacrosse teams, a class officer, a member of student council and a house councillor.[3]
Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entry into World War II, Hudner later recalled a speech by headmaster Claude Fuess and the many students and teachers in the US military inspired him, and upon his graduation in 1943, he decided to join the United States Navy.[3] He entered the United States Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland, graduating in 1946.[4] He was one of 10 from Phillips to be accepted into the academy from his class. By this time, however, World War II was over.[3] Hudner attended the academy with a number of other notable classmates, including James B. Stockdale, Jimmy Carter, and Stansfield Turner. He played football at the academy as well, eventually becoming a starting running back for the junior varsity team.[5]
After graduation, Hudner served as a communications officer aboard several surface ships.[6] In his initial years in the military, Hudner claimed to have no interest in aircraft. After a one-year tour of duty aboard the Baltimore-class heavy cruiser USS Helena, which was operating off of the coast of Taiwan, he transferred to a post as a communications officer at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in which he served for another year.[7] By 1948, Hudner became interested in aviation, and applied to flight school, seeing it as "a new challenge." Hudner was accepted and sent to Pensacola Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida where he completed basic flight training and was transferred to Corpus Christi Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he completed advanced flight training and was certified a Naval Aviator in August 1949.[7] After a brief posting in Lebanon, Hudner was assigned to Fighter Squadron 32 aboard the USS Leyte, piloting the F4U Corsair.[8] Hudner enjoyed piloting this aircraft, as he considered it "safe and comfortable."[5]
On the night of 25 June 1950, ten divisions of the North Korean People's Army launched a full-scale invasion of the nation's neighbor to the south, the Republic of Korea. The force of 89,000 men moved in six columns, catching the Republic of Korea Army by surprise, resulting in a rout. The smaller South Korean army suffered from widespread lack of organization and equipment, and was unprepared for war.[9] The numerically superior North Korean forces destroyed isolated resistance from the 38,000 South Korean soldiers on the front before it began moving steadily south.[10] Most of South Korea's forces retreated in the face of the invasion.[11] The North Koreans were well on their way to South Korea's capital of Seoul within hours, forcing the government and its shattered army to retreat further south.[11]
To prevent South Korea's collapse the United Nations Security Council voted to send military forces. The United States' Seventh Fleet dispatched Task Force 77, led by the fleet carrier USS Valley Forge; the British Far East Fleet dispatched several ships, including HMS Triumph, to provide air and naval support.[12] Although the navies blockaded North Korea and launched aircraft to delay the North Korean forces these efforts alone did not stop the North Korean Army juggernaut on its southern advance.[13] U.S. President Harry S. Truman ordered ground troops into the country to supplement the air support.[14] All US Navy units, including the Leyte were placed on alert.[15] At the time, the ship was in the Mediterranean Sea and Hudner did not expect to be deployed to Korea, but on August 8 a relief carrier arrived in the area and the Leyte ordered to Korea.[16] Commanders felt the pilots on the carrier were better trained, and so needed in the theatre. The ship sailed from the Strait of Gibraltar across the Atlantic Ocean and to Quinoset, them through the Panama Canal and San Diego, California, Hawaii, and Japan before arriving in Korea around October 8.[17]
The Leyte was eventually ordered to Korea, arriving in October 1950.[15] The ship joined Task Force 77 off the northeast coast of the Korean Peninsula, part of a fleet of 17 ships from the US Seventh Fleet, including the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea, battleship USS Missouri and cruiser USS Juneau.[18] Hudner flew 20 missions in-country.[15] These missions included attacks on communication lines, troop concentrations and military installations around Wonsan, Chongpu, Songjim and Senanju.[19]
Following the entrance of the People's Republic of China into the war in late November 1950, Hudner and his squadron were dispatched to the Chosin Reservoir, where an intense campaign was being fought between the People's Volunteer Army and the US X Corps.[15] Almost 100,000 Chinese troops had surrounded 15,000 US troops, and Brown and other pilots on the Leyte were flying dozens of close air support missions every day to prevent the Chinese from overrunning the US troops.[20][21]
On 4 December 1950, Hudner was part of a six-aircraft flight supporting US Marine Corps ground troops who were trapped by Chinese forces.[22] At 13:38, he took off from the Leyte with squadron executive officer Lieutenant Commander Dick Cevoli, Lieutenant George Hudson, Lieutenant Junior Grade Bill Koenig, Ensign Ralph McQueen, and Ensign Jesse L. Brown, who was Hudner's wingman.[23] During this flight, Brown had the call sign "Iroquois 13."[24] The flight traveled 100 miles (160 km) from the Task Force's location to the Chosin Reservoir, flying 35 to 40 minutes through very harsh wintery weather to the vicinity of villages Yudam-ni and Hagaru-ri. The flight began searching for targets along the west side of the reservoir, lowering their altitude to 700 feet (210 m) in the process.[25] The mission was a three-hour search and destroy flight as well as an attempt to probe Chinese troop strength in the area.[6][26]
Though the flight spotted no Chinese, at 14:40 Koenig radioed to Brown that he appeared to training fuel.[26] The damage had likely come by small arms fire from Chinese infantry, who were known to hide in the snow and ambush passing aircraft by firing in unison.[27] At least one bullet had ruptured a fuel line. Brown, losing fuel pressure and increasingly unable to control the aircraft, dropped his external fuel tanks and rockets and attempted to land the craft in a snow-covered clearing on the side of a mountain. Brown crashed into a bowl-shaped valley at approximately .[26][28] The aircraft broke up violently upon impact and was destroyed.[24] In the crash, Brown's leg was pinned beneath the fuselage of the aircraft, and he stripped off his helmet and gloves in an attempt to free himself, before waving to the other pilots, who were circling close overhead.[15] The other pilots had thought he had died in the crash.[26] Brown had crash landed near Somong-ni, 15 miles (24 km) behind Chinese lines in 15-degree weather,[29] and the other pilots began a Mayday radio to any heavy transport aircraft in the area as they canvassed the mountain for any sign of Chinese ground forces who may threaten Brown.[30] They received a signal that a rescue helicopter would come as soon as possible, but Brown's aircraft was smoking and a fire had started near its internal fuel tanks.[6][29]
Hudner attempted in vain to rescue Brown, before intentionally crash landing his aircraft and running to Brown's side and attempting to wrestle him free from the wreck. With Brown's condition worsening by the minute, Hudner attempted to drown the aircraft fire in snow, and pull Brown from the aircraft, all in vain, and Brown began slipping in and out of consciousness.[21] Brown, in spite of being in great pain, did not complain to Hudner.[21] A rescue helicopter arrived around 15:00, and Hudner and its pilot, Lieutenant Charles Ward were unable to put out the engine fire with a fire extinguisher and tried in vain to free Brown with an axe for 45 minutes. They even considered, at Brown's request, amputating his trapped leg.[31] Brown lost consciousness shortly thereafter. His last known words, which he told Hudner, were "Tell Daisy I love her."[15][21] The helicopter, which was unable to operate in the darkness, was forced to leave at nightfall with Hudner, leaving Brown behind. Brown is believed to have died shortly thereafter of his injuries and exposure to the extreme cold. No Chinese forces threatened the site, likely thanks to heavy air presence of Brown and Hudner's unit.[32]
Hudner begged superiors to allow him to return to the wreck to help extract Brown, but he was not allowed, as other officers feared an ambush of the vulnerable helicopters resulting in casualties. In order to prevent the body and the aircraft from falling into Chinese or North Korean hands, the US Navy bombed the aircraft with napalm two days later, reportedly reciting the Lord's Prayer over the radio as they watched Brown's body consumed by flames.[33] The pilots observed his body looked to have been disturbed and his clothes stolen, but still stuck in the aircraft. The remains of both Brown and the aircraft were never recovered.[34] Brown was the first US Navy officer killed in the war.[6][33]
The 4 December incident grounded Hudner for a month, as he injured his back in the landing, an injury he later said persisted for 6 to 8 years following the incident. Hudner served in Korea until January 20, 1951, when the Leyte was rotated back to the Atlantic Fleet.[35] Hudner flew 27 combat missions during the war.[7] On 13 April 1951, Hudner received the Medal of Honor from president Harry S. Truman, meeting Brown's widow, Daisy Brown, in the process. The two stayed in regular contact for at least 50 years following this.[34] He was the first servicemember to be awarded the medal during the Korean War, though several others would win the medal for actions which occurred before 4 December 1950.[6][n 1]
Hudner said he was occasionally criticized for his actions, and "about 90" people in his life told him he acted recklessly. His commanders noted his actions may have endangered the helicopter pilot and sacrificed an aircraft, criticisms Hudner later said did not make him regret his decision, as he felt it was a spur of the moment action. Still, commanders later issued orders forbidding pilots from crash landing in a similar way to try and save downed wingmen.[36] On later reflection, Hudner indicated he did not consider himself a hero for his actions.[37]
After receiving the Medal of Honor, Hudner was transferred to the United States and served as a flight instructor at Corpus Christi Naval Air Station from 1952 to 1953. Following this, he served as a staff officer for Carrier Division 3, which at the time was part of Task Force 77 and operating around Japan from 1953 to 1954. In 1955 and 1956, he was transferred to Development Squadron 3 at Atlantic City Naval Air Station in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he flew developmental and experimental aircraft. During this time, Hudner was trained on jet engine-powered aircraft.[7]
Beginning in October 1957, Hudner served in an exchange program with the US Air Force, flying for two years with the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Otis Air Force Base in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. During this assignment, Hudner flew the F-94 Starfire and the F-101 Voodoo. After this, Hudner was promoted to Commander and served as aide to the Chief of the Bureau of Naval Weapons until 1962, when he attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Upon graduating in July 1963, he returned to flying duty and was appointed the Executive officer of Fighter Squadron 53 aboard the USS Ticonderoga. Following this assignment, he was transferred to a position as Leadership Training Officer at the office of Commander, Naval Air Forces at North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado, California.[7]
Hudner was promoted to Captain in 1965, taking command of Training Squadron 24 at Chase Field Naval Air Station in Bee County, Texas, which he commanded from 1965 to 1966. In 1966 he was assigned to the USS Kitty Hawk, first as a navigator, then as the ship's executive officer. The Kitty Hawk deployed of the shore of South Vietnam in 1966 until 1967, flying missions in support of the Vietnam War, and Hudner served on the ship during this tour but saw no combat and flew none of the missions himself. In 1968, he was assigned as the operations officer for the Southeast Asia Air Operations division of the US Navy.[7] That year, he also married Georgea Smith, a widow with three children, whom he had met in San Diego, California. The two had one son together, Thomas Jerome Hudner III, born in 1971.[38] Hudner's final Navy posting was as the head of Aviation Technical Training in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C., a post which he held until his retirement in February 1973.[7]
On 17 February 1973, days before Hudner's retirement, the Navy commissioned the Knox-class frigate USS Jesse L. Brown, the first US Ship named in honor of an African American. Present at the commissioning ceremony in Boston, Massachusetts were Daisy Brown Thorne, who had remarried, Pamela Brown, and Hudner, who gave a dedication.[15] The ship was decommissioned on July 27, 1994 and sold to Egypt.[33][39]
After retiring, Hudner worked as a management consultant and worked with the United Service Organizations. Because of his Medal of Honor, Hudner worked regularly with various veterans groups in his retirement, and much of his time in subsequent years was devoted to working for these organizations, otherwise living a quiet life.[38] From 1991 to 1999 he served as Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services, the state's branch of the US Department of Veterans Affairs, until he gave up that position to Thomas G. Kelley, another Medal of Honor recipient.[38]
He received a number of honors in his later life. In 1989, he was honored by the Gathering of Eagles Program held by the Air Force at Maxwell Air Force Base.[7] In 2001, Hudner presented Daisy Brown Thorne with several of Jesse Brown's posthumous medals at Mississippi State University.[34]
He currently resides in Concord, Massachusetts, with his wife, Georgea.[40]
Brown's military decorations included the following medals:[2]
Hudner was one of 11 men awarded the Medal of Honor during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.[41] He was the first of seven US Navy servicemen, and the only Naval aviator, to be awarded the Medal of Honor in the Korean War.[42]
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a pilot in Fighter Squadron 32, while attempting to rescue a squadron mate whose plane struck by antiaircraft fire and trailing smoke, was forced down behind enemy lines. Quickly maneuvering to circle the downed pilot and protect him from enemy troops infesting the area, Lt. (J.G.) Hudner risked his life to save the injured flier who was trapped alive in the burning wreckage. Fully aware of the extreme danger in landing on the rough mountainous terrain and the scant hope of escape or survival in subzero temperature, he put his plane down skillfully in a deliberate wheels-up landing in the presence of enemy troops. With his bare hands, he packed the fuselage with snow to keep the flames away from the pilot and struggled to pull him free. Unsuccessful in this, he returned to his crashed aircraft and radioed other airborne planes, requesting that a helicopter be dispatched with an ax and fire extinguisher. He then remained on the spot despite the continuing danger from enemy action and, with the assistance of the rescue pilot, renewed a desperate but unavailing battle against time, cold, and flames. Lt. (J.G.) Hudner's exceptionally valiant action and selfless devotion to a shipmate sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.[43]