U.S. Navy Capt. Thomas J. Hudner interred at Arlington
Back in November, we told you that Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Navy Capt. Thomas J. Hudner passed at the age of 93. He was awarded the Medal of Honor during the battle at Chosin Reservoir in Korea. When his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown was shot down, Hudner tried to rescue Brown from his burning air craft by crashing his own aircraft near the site so he could render aid;
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.
Captain Hudner’s earthly remains were laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday. The folks at DVIDS send us a link to their photo stream of the event in Section 54.
Category: We Remember
May God bless you warrior, note to phonies, this is what a real hero looks like! My prayers are with you and your family during this sad time.
AMEN!
God rest him. BZ
Fair winds and following seas, Capt. Hudner.
This is a perfect example of a situation where we should not mourn his passing, but celebrate the fact that such men have lived! A true hero, a long life well lived
To repeat a comment I made to the Nov article: for those who’ve not seen it, Doug Sterner has a wonderful article concerning CAPT Hudner and the acts for which he was awarded the MoH on his old “Home of Heroes” website. The title of the article is, “No Man Should Die Alone!” It’s worth the time to read.
Should you choose to follow the link, you might want to have a tissue or two handy.
RIP, CAPT Hudner.
Man, oh man. That account should be mandatory reading in every school in the country.
2/17: An occasional reading or this type of subject matter would go a long way in showing the youngsters the difference between a real man and someone who doesn’t know where to piss or how to dress.
I read of these exploits with awe. I can’t imagine the heroics involved with these men.
Rest In Peace, Sir and enjoy the company of your Comrades in Valhalla.
Thomas Hudner’s heroism is truly inspiring. The life story of his wingman, Jesse Brown, is also quite interesting in its own right. He was he first African-American jet pilot and he obtained a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Ohio State University. He faced racial prejudice all along his journey from his sharecropper roots.
The USS Hudner (Burke class destroyer) will be commissioned in a few weeks.
Rest in peace…..a true hero.
Fitting. A real warship, not an LCS.
Nice!
Where do you find he was the first black jet pilot? He was for sure the first black fighter pilot, but he flew F4Us (think ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’.) If he was jet qualified you would think he would be flying one, they were in use at the time. Just curious.
OK, make that “first african-american naval aviator”. I stand corrected.
Just asking, sir.
We are good. No offense taken or intended.
A life well lived and a true hero laid to rest amongst other heroes…rest in peace sir you’ve certainly earned it.
Fair Winds and Following Seas Sir!
A true hero, who risked far more than death in order to save his friend and shipmate. His Medal of Honor and his reward in Heaven are well-deserved.
I met Capt Hudner at an event in Boston about eight years ago.
An officer and a gentleman in every sense of the words.
Rest in peace CAPT Hudner. You will never be forgotten Sir.
There is also a really good book detailing the story of Lieutenant Hudner and Ensign Brown titled “Devotion”. Written by Adam Makos it is an inspiring telling of their story.
Just excellent.