Posted on 04/04/2018 3:54:06 PM PDT by Saint X
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY – Capt. Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., a naval aviator who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War, was interred with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery today.
A native of Fall River, Mass., Hudner was flying as the wingman for Ens. Jessie L. Brown during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in 1950 when Brown was forced to crash-land his F4U Corsair after being hit by enemy fire. Seeing that Brown had survived the crash but was trapped in the wreckage, Hudner crash-landed his own plane so he could try to free his fellow aviator. Tragically, Hudner and the pilot of the helicopter sent to rescue the men were unable to extract Brown from the aircraft before they had to evacuate the area.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.usni.org ...
Really a dumb decision.
Now you got two pilots dead and two wrecked aircraft instead of maybe only one. He should have provided CAS while waiting for CSAR.
Once again,"The Greatest Generation" comes quickly to my mind.
The United States Congress seems to disagree.I'm inclined to disagree as well...although,particularly given my previous post,I may be unqualified to express an informed opinion on this matter.
Several officials at the time agreed with you. He was initially reprimanded for being reckless.
Doesn't a superior officer have to submit an official recommendation for certain medals in order to "get the ball rolling"?
https://history.army.mil/html/moh/afghanistan.html
Not just back then - America is still producing brave, heroic men. Here are some from Afghanistan.
Despite Dakota Meyer’s recent poor press with regard to the Palin daughter, he also ignored orders in Afghanistan to stay put and fought his way in five times to aid and rescue his buddies caught in an ambush.
“the story of a “white man’s willingness to crash-land his own plane and risk his life to reach a black comrade in need had challenged both white and black people’s notions about race.”
It had nothing to do with race. It was simply one warrior protecting his brother warrior.
Capt Hudner, thank you for your courage and not abandoning your wingman. May you rest in peace.
Really a dumb decision.
Now you got two pilots dead and two wrecked aircraft instead of maybe only one. He should have provided CAS while waiting for CSAR.
The film was entertaining. I thought it should have been released in movie theaters.
No, only one died. The one he tried to save.
Very true.This country has always bred men (and women) who were damn brave.Years ago I worked with a Marine who was in Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive.He told me stories...amazing stories.What he didn't tell me (I only recently learned it from the web) was that he was awarded the Bronze Star.
The aircraft was on fire and his wingman appeared to be trapped. He made the decision to try to save his wingman’s life.
Monday morning QBs, safe-at-home snide Internet commenters may call him out for his decision, but I flew attack aircraft in combat and I fully understand his rational and bravery and I stand by him. A decision, BTW validated by SecNav’s board awarding him a MOH.
I was honored to have met him a few years ago, and we discussed this mission and combat flying in general. He remains a great American and a hero of mine.
I didn't know that the man he saved was black.And as you said...it doesn't matter.It was one guy trying to help a "buddy" which,we were told in BCT (long,long ago),is what it's all about.
Where do we get men like this? Bridges of Toko RI.
And when/where/and with whom did you serve?
My God, the corsair is worthless, the pilot is priceless, especially if he’s your wingman, friend and comrade.
Don’t know how you did your figuring, but my math is different.
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Amen! - Hardware is nothing.
Evidently he served with the Second Banana Division, whose motto was "We're second rate, all the way."
Incredible bravery crashing your plane to rescue another person trapped behind enemy lines.
I can understand why initially there may have been some heat on him for doing that; cost of an F4U 4 Corsair in 1944 was about $88,000 according to one website I found, which translates to approx $1.245 million in today’s dollars. That’s not as much as today’s fighters, which can top $200 million per copy, some double that, but still nothing to sneeze at (and how could they know that someday their grandkids would probably yawn at anything not costing half a billion bucks?).
What I’m saying is he exhibited tremendous courage and is truly a great hero, and for that I have the highest regard for him that I possibly could have. But... I bet today’s bean counters would skin him alive for doing something like that.
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