First trailer for Devotion film released

Ensign Brown and then-Lt (j.g.) Hudner

I wrote a while back about a forthcoming movie about the friendship of two naval aviator comrades during the Korean War. The story of Ensign Brown (the first black naval aviator) and his good friend and wingman Thomas Hudner is the stuff of legend. We’ve talked about it several times before. Here’s a Valor Friday segment on it, and our discussion when Captain Hudner passed away.

We now have our first look at the movie, and it looks like the real Top Gun. Not even Jerry Bruckheimer can come up with a story this moving.

Here’s my recap of the events surrounding Ens Brown’s downing;

The story of best friends and wingmen Ensign Jesse Brown, the first black naval aviator and the first black naval officer to die in the Korean War and then-Lieutenant (j.g.) Thomas Hudner. Flying F4U Corsairs over the Chosin Reservoir, Brown would be shot down. Hudner saw his comrade had crashed, wheels up, and was moving in his cockpit. As Hudner circled, he could see Brown’s plane catch fire, but Brown wasn’t getting out.

Hudner then crash landed his own plane to go to aid Brown. Finding Brown alive, but trapped, Hudner refused to leave his wingman. The small fire extinguisher exhausted, Hudner attempted to douse the flames with snow.

Hudner personally led the extrication attempt once the rescue helicopter arrived. Unable to free Brown, with his strength rapidly failing, Hudner was forced to leave behind his best friend.

Brown’s last words were to tell his wife he loved her. Hudner’s last words to him were “We’ll come back for you.” The latter promise was finally kept, decades later, as documented by Hondo here.

Hudner received the Medal of Honor for his bravery, while Ensign Brown received a posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross.

Category: Navy, Valor