View source for Thomas J. Hudner Jr.

{{short description|United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient (1924–2017)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox military person
| name          = Thomas J. Hudner Jr.
| image         = Thomas J Hudner 1950.jpg
| caption       = Hudner in 1950
| nickname      = "Lou"{{sfn|Collier|Del Calzo|2006|p=126}}
| birth_date    = {{birth date|1924|8|31}}
| birth_place   = {{nowrap|[[Fall River, Massachusetts]], U.S.}}
| death_date    = {{death date and age|2017|11|13|1924|8|31}}
| death_place   = {{nowrap|[[Concord, Massachusetts]], U.S.}}
| placeofburial = [[Arlington National Cemetery]]
| allegiance    = United States
| branch        = [[United States Navy]]
| serviceyears  = 1946–1973
| rank          = [[Captain (United States O-6)#U.S. Navy|Captain]]
| commands      = {{plainlist |
* [[VF-53|Fighter Squadron 53]]
* [[VT-24|Training Squadron 24]]
}}
| unit          = {{plainlist |
* [[VF-32|Fighter Squadron 32]]
* {{USS|Helena|CA-75}}
* [[Carrier Division 3]]
* [[Development Squadron 3]]
* [[60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron]]
* [[VF-53|Fighter Squadron 53]]
* {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63}}
  }}
| battles       = {{tree list}}
* [[Korean War]]
** [[Battle of Chosin Reservoir]]
* [[Vietnam War]]
{{tree list/end}}
| awards        = {{plainlist|
* [[Medal of Honor]]
* [[Legion of Merit]]
* [[Bronze Star Medal]]
* [[Air Medal]] (2)
* [[Order of Military Merit (South Korea)|Taegeuk Order of Military Merit]]
}}
| laterwork     = 
}}
'''Thomas Jerome Hudner Jr.''' (August 31, 1924 – November 13, 2017) was a [[United States Navy]] [[commissioned officer|officer]] and [[Naval aviation|naval aviator]]. He rose to the rank of [[Captain (United States O-6)#U.S. Navy|captain]], and received the [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions in trying to save the life of his [[wingman]], [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]] [[Jesse L. Brown]], during the [[Battle of Chosin Reservoir]] in the [[Korean War]].

Born in [[Fall River, Massachusetts]], Hudner attended [[Phillips Academy]] in [[Andover, Massachusetts]], and the [[United States Naval Academy]]. Initially uninterested in aviation, he eventually took up flying and joined [[VF-32|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 [[aircraft carrier]] {{USS|Leyte|CV-32|6}}.

On December 4, 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 [[People's Republic of China|Chinese]] troops and crashed. In an attempt to save Brown from his burning aircraft, Hudner intentionally [[crash landing|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 leave Brown's body behind, as a rescue helicopter could not fly in the dark and Hudner had suffered his own injuries 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 {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|6}} during a tour in the [[Vietnam War]], before retiring in 1973. In subsequent years, he worked for various veterans' organizations in the United States. The {{Sclass|Arleigh Burke|destroyer|0}} [[guided missile destroyer]] {{USS|Thomas Hudner|DDG-116|6}} is named for him.

== Early life and education ==
Hudner was born August 31, 1924, in [[Fall River, Massachusetts]]. His father, Thomas Hudner Sr., was a businessman of [[Irish people|Irish]] descent who ran a chain of [[grocery stores]], Hudner's Markets.{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}} Three brothers were later born, named James, Richard, and Phillip.{{sfn|Sherman|2011}}

Hudner entered the prestigious [[Phillips Academy]] in [[Andover, Massachusetts]], in 1939.<ref name="BostonGlobe"/> His family had a long history in the academy, with his father graduating in 1911 and his uncle, Harold Hudner, graduating in 1921.{{sfn|Sherman|2011}} Eventually, the three younger Hudner children would attend the academy as well; James in 1944, Richard in 1946 and Phillip in 1954.<ref name="BostonGlobe"/> During his time in the high school, Thomas was active in several organizations, serving as a [[team captain]] in the school [[Track and field|track team]] as well as a member of the [[American football|football]] and [[lacrosse]] teams, a [[class officer]], a member of [[student council]], and an assistant house counselor.{{sfn|Sherman|2011}}

== Career ==
Following the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] and the United States' entry into [[World War II]], Hudner heard a speech by academy headmaster [[Claude Fuess]] which he later said inspired him to join the military. One of 10 from Phillips to be accepted into the academy from his class, he entered the United States Naval Academy in [[Annapolis, Maryland]], in 1943 and graduated in 1946.{{sfn|Sherman|2011}}{{sfn|US Navy, ''Captain Thomas J. Hudner Jr.''}} By the time he was commissioned, however, World War II had ended.{{sfn|Sherman|2011}} Hudner attended the Naval Academy with a number of other notable classmates, including [[James B. Stockdale]], [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Jeremiah Denton]], and [[Stansfield Turner]]. He played football at the academy, eventually becoming a starting [[running back]] for the [[junior varsity]] team.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=116}}

[[File:Thomas Jerome Hudner.jpg|thumb|Hudner later in his career]]

After graduation, Hudner served as a communications officer aboard several surface ships.{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=209}} During his initial years in the military, Hudner said he had no interest in aircraft. After a one-year tour of duty aboard the [[Baltimore-class cruiser|''Baltimore''-class heavy cruiser]] {{USS|Helena|CA-75|6}}, which was operating off the coast of [[Taiwan]], he transferred to a post as a communications officer at the [[Naval Base Pearl Harbor]] where he served for another year.{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}} By 1948, Hudner became interested in aviation, and applied to flight school, seeing it as "a new challenge". He was accepted into [[Naval Air Station Pensacola]] in [[Pensacola, Florida]], where he completed basic [[United States Naval Aviator|flight training]], and was transferred to [[Naval Air Station Corpus Christi]] in Texas, where he completed advanced flight training and qualified as a naval aviator in August 1949.{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}} After a brief posting in [[Lebanon]], Hudner was assigned to VF-32 aboard the [[aircraft carrier]] [[USS Leyte (CV-32)]], piloting the F4U Corsair.{{sfn|Collier|Del Calzo|2006|p=127}} He later said he enjoyed this assignment, as he considered the Corsair to be "safe and comfortable".{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=116}}

=== Korean War ===

{{see also|Initial phase of the Korean War}}

On the night of June 25, 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.{{sfn|Alexander|2003|p=1}} 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.{{sfn|Alexander|2003|p=2}} Most of South Korea's forces retreated in the face of the invasion.{{sfn|Appleman|1998|p=36}} 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.{{sfn|Appleman|1998|p=36}}

To prevent South Korea's collapse the [[United Nations Security Council]] voted [[UNSCR 82|to send military forces]]. The United States' [[United States Seventh Fleet|Seventh Fleet]] dispatched [[Task Force 77 (U.S. Navy)|Task Force 77]], led by the [[fleet carrier]] {{USS|Valley Forge|CV-45|6}}, and the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Far East Fleet]] dispatched several ships, including {{HMS|Triumph|R16|6}}, to provide air and naval support.{{sfn|Malkasian|2001|p=23}} 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.{{sfn|Malkasian|2001|p=24}} U.S. President [[Harry S. Truman]] later ordered ground troops into the country to supplement the air support.{{sfn|Varhola|2000|p=3}} All U.S. Navy units and ships including ''Leyte'' were placed on alert.{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=41}} 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 ''Leyte'' was ordered to Korea.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=117}} Naval commanders felt the pilots on ''Leyte'' were better trained and prepared than those of other available carriers, so they were among the first dispatched to the theater. ''Leyte'' sailed from the [[Strait of Gibraltar]] across the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and to Quonset, then through the [[Panama Canal]] and to [[San Diego, California]], [[Hawaii]], and [[Japan]] before arriving in the waters off Korea around October 8.{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=41}}{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=118}}

The ship joined Task Force 77 off the northeast coast of the [[Korean Peninsula]], part of a fleet of 17 ships from the [[U.S. Seventh Fleet]], including the aircraft carrier {{USS|Philippine Sea|CV-47|6}}, [[battleship]] {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|6}}, and [[cruiser]] {{USS|Juneau|CL-119|6}}.{{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=1}} Hudner flew 20 missions in the country.{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=41}} These missions included attacks on communication lines, troop concentrations, and military installations around [[Wonsan]], [[Chongpu]], [[Songjim]], and [[Senanju]].{{sfn|Dwight|Sewell|2009|p=396}}

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 [[Battle of Chosin Reservoir|intense campaign]] was being fought between [[X Corps (United States)]] and the [[People's Volunteer Army]]’s 9th Army.{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=41}} Almost 100,000 Chinese troops had surrounded 15,000 U.S. troops, and the pilots on ''Leyte'' were flying dozens of [[close air support]] missions every day to prevent the Chinese from overrunning the area.{{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=2}}{{sfn|Williams|2003|p=61}}

=== Medal of Honor action ===

[[File:Ensign Jesse L. Brown.jpg|thumb|upright|Ensign [[Jesse L. Brown]]. Hudner received the [[Medal of Honor]] for attempting to save Brown in 1950]]
{{main|Battle of Chosin Reservoir|Jesse L. Brown}}

On December 4, 1950, Hudner was part of a six-aircraft flight supporting [[U.S. Marine Corps]] ground troops who were trapped by Chinese forces.{{sfn|Dwight|Sewell|2009|p=397}} At 13:38, he took off from ''Leyte'' with squadron [[executive officer]] [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Richard L. Cevoli|Dick Cevoli]], [[lieutenant (navy)|Lieutenant]] George Hudson, Lieutenant Junior Grade Bill Koenig, [[Ensign (rank)|Ensign]] Ralph E. McQueen, and the first African American Naval Aviator, {{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=xxii}} Ensign [[Jesse L. Brown]], who was Hudner's [[wingman]].{{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=3}} The flight traveled {{convert|100|mi}} from Task Force 77's location to the Chosin Reservoir, flying 35 to 40 minutes through very harsh wintery weather to the vicinity of the villages Yudam-ni and Hagaru-ri. The flight began searching for targets along the west side of the reservoir, lowering their altitude to {{convert|700|ft}} in the process.{{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=4}} The three-hour [[search and destroy]] mission was also an attempt to probe Chinese troop strength in the area.{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=209}}{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=121}}

Though the flight spotted no Chinese, at 14:40 Koenig radioed to Brown that he appeared to be trailing fuel.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=121}} 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.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=120}} At least one bullet had ruptured a fuel line. Brown, losing fuel pressure and increasingly unable to control the aircraft, dropped his [[external fuel tank]]s 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 {{coord|40|36|N|127|06|E}},{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=121}}{{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=5}} near Somong-ni, {{convert|15|mi}} behind Chinese lines, and in 15-degree (- 10 °C) weather.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=122}} The aircraft broke up violently upon impact and was destroyed.{{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=6}} In the crash, Brown's leg was pinned beneath the [[fuselage]] of the Corsair, 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.{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=41}} Hudner and the other airborne pilots thought Brown had died in the crash,{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=121}} and they immediately began a [[mayday]] radio to any heavy transport aircraft in the area as they canvassed the mountain for any sign of nearby Chinese ground forces.{{sfn|Taylor|2007|p=7}} 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.{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=209}}{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=122}}

Hudner attempted in vain to rescue Brown via radio instruction, before intentionally [[crash-landing]] his aircraft, 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. Brown began slipping in and out of consciousness, but in spite of being in great pain, did not complain to Hudner.{{sfn|Williams|2003|p=61}} 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. They tried in vain to free Brown with an axe for 45 minutes. They briefly considered, at Brown's request, amputating his trapped leg.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=123}} Brown lost consciousness for the last time shortly thereafter. His last known words, which he told Hudner, were "tell Daisy I love her."{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=41}}{{sfn|Williams|2003|p=61}} 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 because of the heavy air presence of the VF-32 pilots.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=124}}

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 additional casualties. In order to prevent the body and the aircraft from falling into Chinese or North Korean hands, the U.S. Navy bombed the crash site with [[napalm]] two days later; the aircrew recited the [[Lord's Prayer]] over the radio as they watched flames consume Brown's body.{{sfn|Williams|2003|p=62}} The pilots observed that his body looked to have been disturbed and his clothes stolen, but he was still stuck in the aircraft. The remains of both Brown and the aircraft were never recovered.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=125}} Brown was the first African American U.S. Navy officer killed in the war.{{sfn|Williams|2003|p=62}}{{sfn|Ecker|2004|p=69}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Public Use File, 1950–2005|url=https://aad.archives.gov/aad/fielded-search.jsp?dt=2514&tf=F&cat=all&bc=sl|publisher=US National Archives|access-date=31 July 2013|archive-date=12 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412030843/https://aad.archives.gov/aad/fielded-search.jsp?dt=2514&tf=F&cat=all&bc=sl|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Hudner MOH ceremony.jpg|thumb|upright|Hudner receives the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman on 13 April 1951.]]
[[File:Truman Hudner MOH.jpg|thumb|upright|Truman congratulates Hudner after presenting him with the Medal of Honor.]]

The December 4 incident grounded Hudner for a month, as he injured his back in the landing, an injury he later said persisted for 6{{nbsp}}to 8{{nbsp}}years. He flew 27 combat missions during the war,{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}} serving there until January 20, 1951, when ''Leyte'' was rotated back to the Atlantic Fleet.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=119}} On April 13, 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 meeting.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=125}} He was the first service member to receive the medal during the Korean War, though several others would receive the medal for actions which occurred before December 4, 1950.{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=209}}{{efn|name=first award}}

Hudner said he was occasionally criticized for his actions, and that "about 90" people had 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 to save downed wingmen.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=126}} On later reflection, Hudner indicated he did not consider himself a hero for his actions.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=128}}

=== Later Navy career ===

After receiving the Medal of Honor, Hudner was transferred to the United States and served as a flight instructor at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas in 1952 and 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, in 1953 and 1954. In 1955 and 1956, he served in [[VX-3|Air Development Squadron 3]] at [[Atlantic City Naval Air Station|Naval Air Station Atlantic City]] in New Jersey, where he flew developmental and experimental aircraft. During this time, he was trained on [[jet engine]]-powered aircraft.{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}}

Beginning in October 1957, Hudner served in an exchange program with the [[U.S. Air Force]], flying for two years with the [[60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron]] at [[Otis Air Force Base]] in [[Barnstable County, Massachusetts]]. During this assignment, he flew the [[F-94 Starfire]] and the [[F-101 Voodoo]]. He was then promoted to [[Commander (rank)|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 [[VF-53|Fighter Squadron 53]], flying the [[F-8 Crusader|F-8E Crusader]] aboard {{USS|Ticonderoga|CV-14|6}}. After serving as executive officer, Hudner assumed command of VF-53. Following this assignment, he was transferred to a position as Leadership Training Officer at the office of [[Commander, Naval Air Forces]], at [[Naval Air Station North Island]] in [[Coronado, California]].{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}}
[[File:Thomas J. Hudner 2008.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Hudner at the [[United States Naval Academy|U.S. Naval Academy]] in December 2008]]
Hudner was promoted to [[Captain (naval rank)|captain]] in 1965, taking command of [[VT-24|Training Squadron 24]] at [[Naval Air Station Chase Field]] in [[Bee County, Texas]], which he commanded in 1965 and 1966. In 1966 he was assigned to {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|6}}, first as navigator, then as the ship's executive officer. ''Kitty Hawk'' deployed off the shore of [[South Vietnam]] in 1966 and 1967, launching missions in support of the [[Vietnam War]], and he 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 U.S. Navy.{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}} That year, he married Georgea Smith, a widow with three children, whom he had met in San Diego. The two had one son together, Thomas Jerome Hudner III, born in 1971.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=127}} 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.{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}}

On 17 February 1973, days before Hudner's retirement, the Navy commissioned the {{Sclass|Knox|frigate}} {{USS|Jesse L. Brown|FF-1089|6}}, the third U.S. ship to be named in honor of an African American.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-tpic/af-amer/afa-ship.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991013050830/http://history.navy.mil/photos/prs-tpic/af-amer/afa-ship.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1999-10-13|title=U.S. NAVY SHIPS NAMED FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS|work=navy.mil}}</ref> Present at the commissioning ceremony in [[Boston, Massachusetts]], were Daisy Brown Thorne, who had remarried, her daughter Pamela Brown, and Hudner, who gave a dedication.{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=41}} The ship was decommissioned on 27 July 1994 and sold to [[Egypt]].{{sfn|Williams|2003|p=62}}{{sfn|Fannin|Gubert|Sawyer|2001|p=42}}

==Later life and death==
[[File:US Navy 081215-N-5549O-110 Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) the Honorable Dr. Donald C. Winter visits with Medal of Honor recipient retired Navy Capt.Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. (Small).jpg|thumb|upright|Hudner (right) speaking with Secretary of the Navy [[Donald C. Winter]] at the U.S. Naval Academy in December 2008.]]

After retiring, Hudner initially worked as a management consultant, and later worked with the [[United Service Organizations]]. Because of his Medal of Honor, he worked regularly with various veterans groups in his retirement as a leader in the veterans' community, otherwise living a quiet life.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=127}} From 1991 to 1999, he served as Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Veterans' Services, until he gave up that position to [[Thomas G. Kelley]], another Medal of Honor recipient.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=127}}

He received a number of honors in his later life. In 1989, he was honored by the [[Gathering of Eagles Program]] of the Air Force at Maxwell Air Force Base.{{sfn|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}} In 2001, Hudner presented Daisy Brown Thorne with several of Jesse Brown's posthumous medals at [[Mississippi State University]].{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=125}} In May 2012, the [[Secretary of the Navy]] announced that an {{Sclass|Arleigh Burke|destroyer|0}} [[guided missile destroyer]] would be named {{USS|Thomas Hudner|DDG-116|6}}.{{sfn|US Dod, ''Navy Announces DDG 116''}}{{sfn|Steele|2012}} The ship was christened on April 1, 2017, with Hudner in attendance,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.marinelink.com/news/christens-dynamics423884 |title=General Dynamics Christens Future USS Thomas Hudner |first=Michelle |last=Howard |website=marinelink.com |date=April 5, 2017 |access-date=April 6, 2018}}</ref> and commissioned in Boston on 1 December 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=107984 |title=USS Thomas Hudner brought to life in Boston |access-date=27 May 2020 |archive-date=4 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204114213/https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=107984 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

After 1991, Hudner lived in [[Concord, Massachusetts]], with his wife, Georgea.{{sfn|Smith|2004|p=115}} In July 2013, he visited Pyongyang, North Korea, in an attempt to recover Jesse Brown's remains from the crash site. He was told by North Korean authorities to return in September when the weather would be more predictable.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/world/asia/six-decades-after-korean-war-a-second-rescue-attempt.html|title=Six Decades Later, a Second Rescue Attempt|date=30 July 2013|work=The New York Times}}</ref>

[[File:Adam Makos and Dick Bonelli in talks with DPRK.jpg|thumb|left|Author [[Adam Makos]] negotiating with North Korean officials for the retrieval of [[Jesse L. Brown]] remains. Makos was the author of the biography featuring the two men published in 2015.]]
Hudner's official biography—''Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice''—was released in October 2015, after seven years of collaboration with author Adam Makos.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://concord.wickedlocal.com/article/20151022/NEWS/151028862|title='Devotion' recounts Concord medal-winner's heroism|work=The Concord Journal}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usni.org/magazines/navalhistory/2015-12/book-reviews|title=Book Reviews – U.S. Naval Institute|date=December 2015}}</ref>

Hudner died at his home in Concord, Massachusetts, on November 13, 2017, at the age of 93.<ref name="BostonGlobe">{{cite news|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2017/11/13/thomas-hudner-war-hero-and-veterans-affairs-commisisoner-dies/i2ax8gaA5y7Fz8OPAjeu8L/story.html|title=Thomas J. Hudner, war hero and veterans' affairs commissioner, dies at 93|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=November 13, 2017|access-date=November 13, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://boston.cbslocal.com/2017/11/13/captain-thomas-hudner-death/|title=Decorated Veteran Who Received Birthday Surprise From Navy Dies|publisher=CBS|access-date=November 13, 2017|date=November 13, 2017}}</ref> He was interred at [[Arlington National Cemetery]] on April 4, 2018, in a ceremony attended by General [[Joseph Dunford]], [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff]].<ref name=burial>{{cite news |url=http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180405/mass-medal-of-honor-recipient-tom-hudner-buried-in-arlington-national-cemetery |title=Mass. Medal of Honor recipient Tom Hudner buried in Arlington National Cemetery |first=Henry |last=Schwan |website=metrowestdailynews.com |date=April 5, 2018 |access-date=April 5, 2018 |archive-date=April 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412030921/https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/20180405/mass-medal-of-honor-recipient-tom-hudner-buried-in-arlington-national-cemetery |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Hudner is portrayed in the 2022 film ''[[Devotion (2022 film)|Devotion]]'' by [[Glen Powell]].

== Awards and decorations ==
{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"
|-
| colspan="3" | [[File:Naval Aviator Badge.jpg|200px|center]]
|-
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Medal of Honor ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=A light blue military ribbon with five white stars with five points each.}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Legion of Merit ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=A purple military ribbon with a thick white line at each end}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Bronze Star ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=A red military ribbon with a thin blue and white line running down the center.}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-star|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Navy_and_Marine_Corps_Commendation_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Navy_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=American Campaign Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=World War II Victory Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Army_of_Occupation_ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=Korean_Service_Medal_-_Ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Vietnamese Gallantry Cross, with palm.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Presidential Unit Citation (Korea).svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
|-
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=United Nations Service Medal Korea ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg{{!}}border|width=106}}
| {{ribbon devices|ribbon=Republic of Korea War Service Medal ribbon.svg{{!}}border|width=106|alt=}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"
|-
!Badge
| colspan="3" | [[United States Aviator Badge|Naval Aviator Badge]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
|-
!1st row
| [[Medal of Honor]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Legion of Merit]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Bronze Star Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
|-
!2nd row
| [[Air Medal]] with one gold [[award star]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Presidential Unit Citation (United States)|Presidential Unit Citation]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
|-
!3rd row
| [[Navy Unit Commendation]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[American Campaign Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[World War II Victory Medal (United States)|World War II Victory Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
|-
!4th row
| [[Navy Occupation Service Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[National Defense Service Medal]] with one bronze [[service star]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Korean Service Medal]] with two service stars{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
|-
!5th row
| [[Vietnam Service Medal]] with service star{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)|Vietnam Gallantry Cross]] with palm{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Presidential Unit Citation (Korea)|Korean Presidential Unit Citation]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
|-
!6th row
| [[United Nations Korea Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Vietnam Campaign Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}
| [[Korean War Service Medal]]{{sfn|Tillman|2002|p=208}}{{efn|name=Korean War Service Medal}}
|}

=== Medal of Honor citation ===

Hudner was one of 11 men awarded the Medal of Honor during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.{{sfn|Ecker|2004|p=63}} He was the first of seven U.S. Navy servicemen, and the only Naval aviator, to be awarded the Medal of Honor in the Korean War.{{sfn|Ecker|2004|p=69}}

[[File:Moh right.gif|60px|left|alt=A light blue neck ribbon with a gold star shaped medallion hanging from it. The ribbon is similar in shape to a bowtie with 13 white stars in the center of the ribbon.]]

{{quotation|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.{{sfn|Ecker|2004|p=70}}}}

==In film and literature==
* Film: ''[[Devotion (2022 film)|Devotion]]'' (2022)
* Book: ''Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice'' (2015)

== See also ==

* [[List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients]]

== Citations ==

=== Notes ===

{{notes
| notes =

{{efn
| name = first award
| The first chronological Medal of Honor award was to [[George D. Libby]] for actions during the [[Battle of Taejon]] on 19 July 1950.
}}

{{efn
| name = Korean War Service Medal
| In 2000 this award was made retroactive to all U.S. military personnel who served in the Korean War. See: {{harvnb|US Navy, ''Korean Service Medal''}}.
}}

}}

=== References ===

{{reflist|30em}}

=== Sources ===

: {{ACMH}}

{{refbegin}}
* {{citation | last = Alexander | first = Bevin | author-link = Bevin Alexander | year = 2003 | title = Korea: The First War We Lost | publisher = [[Hippocrene Books]] | location = [[New York City, New York]] | isbn = 978-0-7818-1019-7 }}
* {{citation | last = Appleman | first = Roy E. | year = 1998 | title = South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu: United States Army in the Korean War | publisher = [[Department of the Army]] | location = [[Washington, D.C.]] | isbn = 978-0-16-001918-0 | url = http://www.history.army.mil/books/korea/20-2-1/toc.htm | access-date = 2011-11-03 | archive-date = 2014-02-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140207235336/http://www.history.army.mil/books/korea/20-2-1/toc.htm | url-status = dead }}
* {{citation | last1 = Collier | first1 = Peter | last2 = Del Calzo | first2 = Nick | year = 2006 | title = Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty | publisher = [[Workman Publishing Company]] | location = [[New York City, New York]] | isbn = 978-1-57965-462-7 }}
* {{citation | last = Dwight | first = Margaret L. | last2 = Sewell | first2 = George A. | year = 2009 | title = Mississippi Black History Makers | publisher = [[University Press of Mississippi]] | location = [[Oxford, Mississippi]] | isbn = 978-1-60473-390-7 }}
* {{citation | last = Ecker | first = Richard E. | year = 2004 | title = Battles of the Korean War: A Chronology, with Unit-by-Unit United States Casualty Figures & Medal of Honor Citations | publisher = [[McFarland & Company]] | location = [[Jefferson, North Carolina]] | isbn = 978-0-7864-1980-7 }}
* {{citation | last1 = Fannin | first1 = Caroline M. | last2 = Gubert | first2 = Betty Kaplan | last3 = Sawyer | first3 = Miriam | year = 2001 | title = Distinguished African Americans in Aviation and Space Science | publisher = [[Greenwood Press]] | location = [[Westport, Connecticut]] | isbn = 978-1-57356-246-1 | url = https://archive.org/details/distinguishedafr00gube }}
* {{citation | last = Malkasian | first = Carter | year = 2001 | title = The Korean War | publisher = [[Osprey Publishing]] | location = [[Oxford, United Kingdom]] | isbn = 978-1-84176-282-1 }}
* {{citation | last = Smith | first = Larry | year = 2004 | title = Beyond Glory: Medal of Honor Heroes in Their Own Words | publisher = [[W. W. Norton & Company]] | location = [[New York City, New York]] | isbn = 978-0-393-32562-1 }}
* {{citation | last = Taylor | first = Theodore | author-link = Theodore Taylor (author) | year = 2007 | title = Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]] | location = [[Annapolis, Maryland]] | isbn = 978-1-59114-852-4 }}
* {{citation | last = Tillman | first = Barrett | author-link = Barrett Tillman | year = 2002 | title = Above and Beyond: The Aviation Medals of Honor | publisher = [[Smithsonian Institution]] | location = [[Washington, D.C.]] | isbn = 978-1-58834-056-6 | url = https://archive.org/details/abovebeyondaviat00till }}
* {{citation | last = Varhola | first = Michael J. | author-link = Michael J. Varhola | year = 2000 | title = Fire and Ice: The Korean War, 1950–1953 | publisher = [[Da Capo Press]] | location = [[Mason City, Iowa]] | isbn = 978-1-882810-44-4 }}
* {{citation | last = Williams | first = Albert E. | year = 2003 | title = Black Warriors: Unique Units and Individuals | publisher = Infinity Publishing | location = [[Haverford, Pennsylvania]] | isbn = 978-0-7414-1525-7 }}

'''Online sources'''
* {{citation
 |last = Sherman
 |first = Tanya
 |year = 2011
 |title = Thomas J. Hudner Jr.
 |publisher = [[Phillips Academy]]
 |url = http://www.andover.edu/About/Newsroom/TheMagazine/AlumniProfiles/Pages/ThomasJHudnerJr.aspx
 |url-status = dead
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120405220810/http://www.andover.edu/About/Newsroom/TheMagazine/AlumniProfiles/Pages/ThomasJHudnerJr.aspx
 |archive-date = 2012-04-05
 }}
* {{citation
  | last = Steele
  | first = Jeanette
  | date = 7 May 2012
  | title = Ship named for living Korean War hero and Navy pilot
  | newspaper = [[San Diego Union Tribune]]
  | url = http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/may/07/ship-named-living-korean-war-hero-and-navy-pilot/
  | access-date = 8 May 2012
  }}
* {{citation
  | title = Gathering of Eagles Biography: Thomas J. Hudner Jr.
  | year = 1989
  | publisher = [[United States Air Force]]
  | location = [[Montgomery, Alabama]]
  | url = http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eagle_bios/1989/hudner_1989.asp
  | access-date = 25 November 2011
  | ref = {{sfnRef|US Air Force, ''Gathering of Eagles''}}
  | archive-date = 23 December 2011
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111223191902/http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eagle_bios/1989/hudner_1989.asp
  | url-status = dead
  }}
* {{citation
 |title = Secretary of The Navy Announces DDG 116 to be Named Thomas Hudner
 |date = 7 May 2012
 |work = Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
 |publisher = U.S. Department of Defense
 |url = https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/releaseid/15252/
 |access-date = 8 May 2012
 |ref = {{sfnRef|US Dod, ''Navy Announces DDG 116''}}
 |url-status = live
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121025180714/http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=15252
 |archive-date = 25 October 2012
 }}
* {{citation
 |publisher = [[United States Navy]]
 |date = 21 June 2000
 |title = Captain Thomas J. Hudner Jr., USN
 |url = http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-h/t-hudner.htm
 |access-date = 2 November 2011
 |ref = {{sfnRef|US Navy, ''Captain Thomas J. Hudner Jr.''}}
 |url-status = dead
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120916180545/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-h/t-hudner.htm
 |archive-date = 16 September 2012
 }}
* {{citation
 |title = Korean Service Medal
 |publisher = [[United States Navy]]
 |url = http://www.history.navy.mil/medals/korea.htm
 |access-date = 9 December 2011
 |ref = {{sfnRef|US Navy, ''Korean Service Medal''}}
 |url-status = dead
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120123152116/http://www.history.navy.mil/medals/korea.htm
 |archive-date = 23 January 2012
 }}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice |first=Adam |last=Makos |publisher=Ballantine Books |date=2015 |isbn=978-0804176583 |url=https://archive.org/details/devotionepicstor00mako |quote=''Devotion'' tells the inspirational story of the U.S. Navy's most famous aviator duo, Lieutenant Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown, and the Marines they fought to defend. }}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Thomas J. Hudner}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{YouTube|id=dnrK69mSfQo |title=Thomas Hudner discusses his Medal of Honor action.}}
* [http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675034415_Harry-S-Truman_Thomas-J-Hudner-Junior_Medal-of-Honor_wife-of-Jesse-Leroy-Brown Historic footage of Thomas Hudner receiving Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman.]
* [http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/medal-honor/medal-honor-recipient-thomas-j-hudner-jr-interview/ Interview] at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library
* [https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgZodWRuZXISBnRob21hcw--/ Arlington National Cemetery]

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{{Featured article}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hudner, Thomas Jerome Jr.}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2017 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of the Korean War]]
[[Category:American Korean War pilots]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War]]
[[Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery]]
[[Category:Korean War recipients of the Medal of Honor]]
[[Category:United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients]]
[[Category:People from Fall River, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Concord, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Phillips Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Air Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:United States Naval Academy alumni]]
[[Category:United States Naval Aviators]]
[[Category:Massachusetts Secretaries of Veterans' Services]]