ARmy Rumour SErvice

A bit more detail available today. I had not realized that CAPT Hudner was the last surviving Korean War veteran who had earned the Medal of Honor. CAPT Hudner is a very humble man. He once told me that when the CO called him in to say he was being put in for the Medal he thought he was being called in to be told of a Court Martial for crashing his plane.

Secretary of the Navy Announces DDG 116 to Be Named Thomas Hudner

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today the next Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer (DDG) will be named the USS Thomas Hudner.
Thomas J. Hudner Jr., a naval aviator who retired as a captain, received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman for displaying uncommon valor during an attack on his wingman, the first African American naval aviator to fly in combat, Ensign Jesse L. Brown. During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, anti-aircraft fire hit Brown’s aircraft, damaging a fuel line and causing him to crash. After it became clear Brown was seriously injured and unable to free himself Hudner proceeded to purposefully crash his own aircraft to join Brown and provide aid. Hudner injured his own back during his crash landing, but he stayed with Brown until a rescue helicopter arrived. Hudner and the rescue pilot worked in the sub-zero, snow-laden area in an unsuccessful attempt to free Brown from the smoking wreckage.
Hudner is the last living Navy recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Korean War.
After receiving recognition for his heroism, Hudner remained on active duty, completing an additional 22 years of naval service during which his accomplishments include flying 27 combat missions in the Korean War and serving as the executive officer aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War.
“Thomas Hudner exemplifies the core values of honor, courage and commitment the Navy holds dear,” said Mabus. “Naming the Navy’s next DDG for him will ensure his legacy will be known, honored and emulated by future generations of sailors and Marines who serve and all who come in contact with this ship.”
The Arleigh Burke class destroyer will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection. It will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare in keeping with the Navy’s ability to execute the Department of Defense’s defense strategy.

Just an update:

Yesterday the Secretary of the Navy participated in a ceremony on board USS Constitution to officially name DDG-116 as the USS Thomas Hudner. USS Hudner will be the 65th Arleigh Burke destroyer commissioned. There are currently 60 active Arleigh Burke's in service.

An article is linked below and has a brief clip of Captain Hudner commenting on what the naval service and the hono(u)r means to him. He is a very fine gentleman.

Note: All Arleigh Burke class destroyers are named for military individuals and US citizens with the exception of USS Winston S. Churchill which is named for a US/UK dual national.


http://bostonherald.com/news/regiona...eid=1061133584

What a MAN--even if he is a naval aviator.

Fantastic - that's dedication, crashing your own plane to help your oppo who piled in!

Originally Posted by Krazy_Ivan

Fantastic - that's dedication, crashing your own plane to help your oppo who piled in!

The article does not mention that it was in enemy territory and he only had a sidearm. To this day he still gets a bit emotional about the fact that he was unable to rescue Jesse Brown from the wreckage. Tom Hudner was packing snow into the wreck to try to keep the fire from getting to him. Brown had died before a helo came to get them out. He is also a really fine first class gentleman, courteous to all.