Thomas J . Hudner , Jr . Thomas Jerome Hudner , Jr . ( born 31 August 1924 ) is a retired officer of the United States Navy and a former naval aviator . He 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 the United States Naval Academy . Initially uninterested in aviation , he eventually took up flying and joined 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 . On 4 December 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 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 died of his injuries and Hudner was forced to evacuate , having also been injured 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 the during a tour in the Vietnam War , before retiring in 1973 . In subsequent years , he has worked for various veterans organizations in the United States . He is currently living in retirement in Concord , Massachusetts . The guided missile destroyer will be named for him . Biography . 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 . Three brothers were later born , named James , Richard , and Phillip . Thomas Jr . entered the prestigious Phillips Academy in Andover , Massachusetts , in 1939 . His family had a long history in the academy , with his father graduating in 1911 and his uncle , Harold Hudner , graduating in 1921 . Eventually the three younger Hudner children would attend the academy as well ; James in 1944 , Richard in 1946 and Phillip in 1954 . During his time in the high school , Thomas was active in several organizations , serving as 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 councilor . Military 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 . By the time he was commissioned , however , World War II had ended . Hudner attended the Naval Academy with a number of other notable classmates , including James B . Stockdale , Jimmy Carter , and Stansfield Turner . He played football at the academy , eventually becoming a starting running back for the junior varsity team . After graduation , Hudner served as a communications officer aboard several surface ships . 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 heavy cruiser , 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 . 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 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 . After a brief posting in Lebanon , Hudner was assigned to Fighter Squadron 32 aboard the , piloting the F4U Corsair . He later said he enjoyed this assignment , as he considered the Corsair to be " safe and comfortable " . Korean War . 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 . 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 . Most of South Korea ' s forces retreated in the face of the invasion . 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 . 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 , and the British Far East Fleet dispatched several ships , including HMS " Triumph " , to provide air and naval support . 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 . U . S . President Harry S . Truman later ordered ground troops into the country to supplement the air support . All U . S . Navy units and ships including the " Leyte " were placed on alert . The ship was in the Mediterranean Sea , and Hudner did not expect to be deployed to Korea , but on 8 August a relief carrier arrived in the area and the " Leyte " was ordered to Korea . Naval commanders felt the pilots on the " Leyte " were better trained and prepared than those of other available carriers , and so they were among the first dispatched to the theater . The " Leyte " sailed from the Strait of Gibraltar across the Atlantic Ocean and to Quonset , then through the Panama Canal and San Diego , California , Hawaii , and Japan before arriving in the waters off Korea around 8 October . 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 , battleship and cruiser . Hudner flew 20 missions in the country . These missions included attacks on communication lines , troop concentrations and military installations around Wonsan , Chongpu , Songjim and Senanju . 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 U . S . X Corps . Almost 100 , 000 Chinese troops had surrounded 15 , 000 U . S . troops , and the pilots on the " Leyte " were flying dozens of close air support missions every day to prevent the Chinese from overrunning the area . Medal of Honor action . On 4 December 1950 , Hudner was part of a six - aircraft flight supporting U . S . Marine Corps ground troops who were trapped by Chinese forces . 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 the first African American Navy pilot Ensign Jesse L . Brown , who was Hudner ' s wingman . The flight traveled 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 in the process . The three - hour search and destroy mission was also an attempt to probe Chinese troop strength in the area . Though the flight spotted no Chinese , at 14 : 40 Koenig radioed to Brown that he appeared to be trailing fuel . 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 . 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 , near Somong - ni , behind Chinese lines and in 15 - degree weather . The aircraft broke up violently upon impact and was destroyed . 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 . Hudner and the other airborne pilots thought Brown had died in the crash , 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 . 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 . 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 . 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 briefly considered , at Brown ' s request , amputating his trapped leg . Brown lost consciousness for the last time shortly thereafter . His last known words , which he told Hudner , were " tell Daisy I love her . " 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 . 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 , reciting the Lord ' s Prayer over the radio as they watched Brown ' s body consumed by flames . 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 . Brown was the first African American U . S . Navy officer killed in the war . 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 . He flew 27 combat missions during the war , serving there until 20 January 1951 , when the " Leyte " was rotated back to the Atlantic Fleet . 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 meeting . He was the first service member to receive the medal during the Korean War , though several others would be receive the medal for actions which occurred before 4 December 1950 . Hudner said he was occasionally criticized for his actions , and " about 90 " people have 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 . On later reflection , Hudner indicated he did not consider himself a hero for his actions . 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 Development Squadron 3 at 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 . 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 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 , flying the F - 8E Crusader aboard the . 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 . Hudner was promoted to captain in 1965 , taking command of 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 the , first as a navigator , then as the ship ' s executive officer . The " Kitty Hawk " deployed off the shore of South Vietnam in 1966 and 1967 , flying 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 . 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 . 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 . On 17 February 1973 , days before Hudner ' s retirement , the Navy commissioned the , the third U . S . ship to be named in honor of an African American . 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 . The ship was decommissioned on 27 July 1994 and sold to Egypt . Later life . 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 . 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 . 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 . In 2001 , Hudner presented Daisy Brown Thorne with several of Jesse Brown ' s posthumous medals at Mississippi State University . In May 2012 , the Secretary of the Navy announced that an guided missile destroyer will be named . Since 1991 Hudner has lived in Concord , Massachusetts , with his wife , Georgea . 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 is more predictable . Awards and decorations . Hudner ' s military decorations include the following medals : Medal of Honor citation . Hudner was one of 11 men awarded the Medal of Honor during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir . 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 . Citations . Sources . Online sources