He Crashed His Own Plane on Purpose to Save His Friend

Fact check

The facts and where they come from

1. He crashed his own plane on purpose, because his friend was trapped in a burning wreck. Wikipedia: “Hudner intentionally crash-landed his own aircraft on a snowy mountainside in freezing temperatures.” Naval History and Heritage Command: “Hudner made the decision to crash land his own aircraft in the vicinity of Brown in an attempt to save his life.” The Medal of Honor citation: “trapped alive in the burning wreckage.” The Associated Press quotes Hudner calling Brown “a friend who, I’d say, was beloved by almost everybody who knew him.” 415
2. His name was Tom Hudner, a US Navy fighter pilot: Lt. (jg) Thomas J. Hudner Jr. (Wikipedia). The American Legion Magazine: “the true story of Tom Hudner, Jesse Brown.” 46
3. He flew with Jesse Brown, a sharecropper’s son. Wikipedia: “John Brown moved the family to Lux, Mississippi, where he worked as a sharecropper on a farm.” Associated Press: “the white son of a New England grocery-store magnate made a promise to the black son of a sharecropper.” Both flew F4U Corsairs in Fighter Squadron 32 from USS Leyte (Wikipedia). 354
4. Jesse was the first Black pilot to complete the Navy’s basic flight training. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: “becoming the first African American to complete the Navy’s basic flight training program for pilot qualification and to be designated a naval aviator.” Wikipedia: “He was the first African-American aviator to complete the United States Navy’s basic flight training program (though not the first African-American Navy aviator).” 23
5. In December 1950, near Korea’s Chosin Reservoir, Jesse was shot down. Naval History and Heritage Command: “On 4 December 1950 … Brown’s Vought F4U-4 Corsair was hit by antiaircraft fire behind enemy lines”; a Navy photo caption says he “had been shot down by enemy fire near Chosin Reservoir, North Korea, 4 December 1950.” Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: “With his plane apparently struck by gunfire and losing fuel pressure.” 12
6. He came down on a snowy mountainside, behind enemy lines. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: “Brown crashed in enemy territory on a snow-covered mountainside west of the lake.” Wikipedia: “15 miles (24 km) behind Chinese lines.” 23
7. He was alive, but trapped in the burning plane. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: “Although he survived the impact, Brown was pinned inside the mangled wreckage of his plane”; Hudner “observed that Brown was alive but not getting out of the plane and that the aircraft was smoldering.” The Medal of Honor citation: “trapped alive in the burning wreckage.” 21
8. So Tom crash-landed his own plane nearby. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: he “executed a wheels-up landing near Brown’s plane.” Associated Press: “Hudner crash-landed his plane in high winds and snowy rocks about 100 yards from the downed fighter.” 25
9. With his bare hands, he packed snow on the fire. The Medal of Honor citation, on Wikipedia and the Naval History and Heritage Command’s page: “With his bare hands, he packed the fuselage with snow to keep the flames away from the pilot and struggled to pull him free.” 41
10. A helicopter came, but even with an ax, they couldn’t free him. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: a “Sikorsky HO3S-1 helicopter piloted by 1st Lt. Charles Ward, USMC”; “Ward and Hudner used an extinguisher to control the fire and then raced to free Brown from the wreckage with an ax, but to no avail.” Naval History and Heritage Command: “Hudner took the ax to the downed aircraft, but it just bounced off it.” Wikipedia: they “tried unsuccessfully to free Brown with an axe for 45 minutes.” 213
11. As night fell, Jesse asked him to tell his wife, Daisy, that he loved her. Naval History and Heritage Command: “His final words were, ‘Tell Daisy [his wife] how much I love her.’” Wikipedia: “His last known words, which he told Hudner, were ‘tell Daisy I love her.’” Associated Press: “‘If I don’t make it, please tell Daisy I love her.’” The American Legion Magazine: “‘Just tell Daisy how much I love her.’” Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: “As daylight slipped away and Brown faded from consciousness.” 14562
12. Tom had to leave him. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: “In the gathering darkness, with a helicopter not equipped for night flight, Ward had to lift off in short order, carrying Hudner to safety.” 2
13. He promised to come back. Associated Press: he “made a promise to the black son of a sharecropper: ‘We’ll come back for you.’” The American Legion Magazine: “He turned and shouted to his departed friend, ‘We’ll be back for you.’” 56
14. President Truman gave Tom the Medal of Honor, with Daisy there. Naval History and Heritage Command: “On 13 April 1951, Hudner received the Medal of Honor during a ceremony hosted by President Harry S. Truman. While at the White House, Hudner met Brown’s widow, Daisy, and the two remained in contact throughout their lives until she died in 2014.” Wikipedia: “On April 13, 1951, Hudner received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman, meeting Brown’s widow, Daisy Brown, in the process.” A US Navy photo of the ceremony (National Archives 330-PS-1283) shows Hudner shaking hands with Daisy P. Brown. 147
15. At 88, Tom went to North Korea, trying to bring Jesse home. Associated Press (July 20, 2013): “Hudner is now 88”; “Hudner hopes to bring Brown’s remains home.” Wikipedia: “In July 2013, he visited Pyongyang, North Korea, in an attempt to recover Jesse Brown’s remains from the crash site.” Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: he “returned to North Korea in 2013 with the goal of retrieving Brown’s remains, but heavy rains prevented him from reaching the crash site.” Wikipedia: “The remains of both Brown and the aircraft were never recovered.” 5423

Sources

1. Thomas Hudner (with his Medal of Honor citation) Naval History and Heritage Command
2. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: Jesse L. Brown (DE-1089) Naval History and Heritage Command
3. Jesse L. Brown Wikipedia
4. Thomas J. Hudner Jr. Wikipedia
5. Veteran returns to North Korea for first black Navy aviator (Associated Press, July 20, 2013) Fox News
6. ‘We’ll be back for you’ (Adam Makos, December 2015) The American Legion Magazine
7. Hudner and Daisy P. Brown at the Medal of Honor ceremony, April 13, 1951 (330-PS-1283, USN 708202) US National Archives, via Wikimedia Commons

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