Thomas Hudner Jr. never planned to join the military. Growing up in Fall River, Massachusetts, Hudner was the oldest of five children and planned to attend Harvard. But when he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy, Hudner’s life was forever changed. He graduated in 1946 with future President Jimmy Carter. Hudner briefly served on USS Helena, then transferred to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
While he had previously had little interest in flying, the looming Korean War changed his mind, and Hudner began flight training in 1948, earning his wings one year later. He was deployed to North Korea in 1950, where his squadron would be part of the infamous Battle of Chosin Reservoir.
An Impossible Choice
On December 4, 1950, Hudner and his six-plane squadron were completing their most dangerous mission yet — providing air support to fellow Marines who were trapped by enemy forces below. Hudner’s good friend and wingman, Ensign Jesse Brown, was among the squad. Brown came from a poor sharecropping family in Mississippi, and became the first African American Naval aviator. Hudner and the fleet were about 15 miles behind enemy lines, carefully dodging the mountainous terrain and taking out enemy positions when, suddenly, Brown’s F4U-F Corsair was hit by enemy gunfire, forcing Brown to crash land later. As Hudner and the other pilots circled Brown’s aircraft, they saw the canopy open, just as smoke began to pour out of the plane. Hudner had a decision to make. Should he abandon his friend or attempt a harrowing rescue mission?
Without hesitation or permission from his commanding officers, Hudner safely and discreetly force-landed his plane near Brown’s. Despite the below-freezing temperatures, he waded through waist-deep snow for 50 feet before finally reaching Brown. Upon approaching his friend, Hudner realized the true extent of the damage. Brown’s leg had been crushed in the crash, and he was trapped in the fuselage with severe bleeding. To top it off, both men were in serious danger of enemy capture.
Moving quickly, Hudner radioed for help, and the Navy promised to send a rescue helicopter — in 30 minutes. As Brown slipped in and out of consciousness, Hudner packed snow around the aircraft to prevent the growing flames from catching the engine on fire. A half-hour later, Pilot Marine Lieutenant Charlie Ward landed with an ax and a fire extinguisher, per Hudner’s request. While Hudner and Ward worked to free the injured pilot, the sun began to fade. Unfortunately, the ax had no impact on the aircraft’s tough skin, and the fire extinguisher proved useless.
Brown’s last words to Hudner were, “Tell Daisy [his wife] how much I love her.” Ward finally stopped, pulled Hudner aside, and gave him more devastating news: the rescue helicopter couldn’t fly at night. Hudner had two options: risk his life — and the impossible snow and ice — to stay with Brown, or return to base with Ward. He decided to go with Ward. Before leaving, he shouted to his friend, “We’ll be back for you.”
A Promise to Return
Leaving Brown behind was the most difficult decision Hudner ever had to make. After landing on USS Leyte, Hudner pleaded for the Navy to send a team to recover his friend. But his superiors refused, saying it was too risky. Hudner was confident that Brown died moments after he left. Brown had barely been able to answer Hudner’s goodbye. Brown’s remains were not recovered. When Hudner returned to the States, he worried that his actions were cause to be court-martialed, especially since he’d made the choice to deliberately crash his plane. Instead, though, Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor on April 13, 1951, making him the first Korean War Recipient. At the ceremony, Brown’s widow, Daisy, was present to honor Hudner. She and Hudner would remain lifelong friends.
Hudner served in the Navy for 22 more years. He completed 27 combat missions in Korea, and during the Vietnam War, he became the executive officer of USS Kitty Hawk. After retiring from the Navy in 1973, Hudner worked for the Massachusetts Department of Veterans’ Services, and found immense fulfillment serving his comrades. As the years passed, Hudner remained hopeful that he could fulfill his promise to Brown and bring him home.
In 2014, Adam Makos published Hudner and Brown’s story in a book titled Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice. The book was adapted for the 2022 film named Devotion. Makos even helped Hudner plan a trip to the crash site to recover Brown’s remains, but weather prevented their travel. A few years later, Hudner was celebrated by the newly named USS Thomas Hudner in honor of his selfless commitment and heroic actions. Hudner’s courageous sacrifice and his devoted friendship continue to inspire current Naval service members.