Ship to be named for Aviator who received CMH

[707guy]

"Mabus announced the next Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, DDG 116, will be named after Medal of Honor recipient retired Navy Capt. Thomas Hudner Jr."

"Hudner, a naval aviator, received the Medal of Honor from then-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 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."

Here's a link:

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=67339

 

[jollygreen07]

Good stuff. I thought the next warship we launched would be named after a senator/congressperson/house representative that stubbed their toe. Do we have a lot of ships named for aviators?

 

[djguernsey]

The USS George H.W. Bush...

 

[jollygreen07]

Yeah, got that... Probably didn't name a carrier after him because of his aviation background...

 

[Uncle Fester]

Lot of ships named for aviators? Sure. Thatch, Stockdale, Mustin, McCain, Mitscher, Lassen, Forrest Sherman, Halsey, just to name a few.

 

[NavAir42]

Yeah, got that... Probably didn't name a carrier after him because of his aviation background...

Sure as hell didn't hurt. Come to think of it, the last 3 carriers to be named have been for former Presidents who served as naval officers.

 

[jollygreen07]

Lot of ships named for aviators? Sure. Thatch, Stockdale, Mustin, McCain, Mitscher, Lassen, Forrest Sherman, Halsey, just to name a few.

Got it. Some of those guys were made famous by their exploits while commanding ships though, right? I know Thatch, Stockdale, Lassen, and Sherman weren't surface guys.

 

[Pags]

All the guys fester named were aviators. Some achieved fame while flying, others in pow camps, and others as admirals, fighting entire fleets.

 

[BusyBee604]

Add the late VADM William P. Lawrence, CO VF-143 "Pukin' Dogs", shot down/POW June 1967-March 1973. USS William P Lawrence (DDG-110), commissioned June 2011, now homeported in San Diego.
BzB

 

[BACONATOR]

Lot of ships named for aviators? Sure. Thatch, Stockdale, Mustin, McCain, Mitscher, Lassen, Forrest Sherman, Halsey, just to name a few.

To be fair, Mccain isn't A-4 driver Mccain, but sort of Halfsies with his father/grandpappy, the latter of whom earned his aviator wings, but never really served in a fleet aviator capacity (ie: not like a JO flying tons of missions off the boat. Commanded the Ranger). A technicality, really. He's also the namesake of Mccain field. Not attempting to school YOU, Fester, just in case anyone (really bored) was wondering.

Back to the OP. GREAT story. That's the kind of "balls of steel" camaraderie and airmanship that gives me a misty eye and tight trousers.

 

[Pags]

To be fair, Mccain isn't A-4 driver Mccain, but sort of Halfsies with his father/grandpappy, the latter of whom earned his aviator wings, but never really served in a fleet aviator capacity (ie: not like a JO flying tons of missions off the boat. Commanded the Ranger). A technicality, really. He's also the namesake of Mccain field. Not attempting to school YOU, Fester, just in case anyone (really bored) was wondering.

Back to the OP. GREAT story. That's the kind of "balls of steel" camaraderie and airmanship that gives me a misty eye and tight trousers.

While ADM McCain Sr didn't fly "tons of missions as a JO", his involvement with Naval Aviation only began with USS Ranger. He was one of the pioneers of carrier warfare and served in numerous important billets as a flag officer in WWII:
-COMAIRSOPAC: he commanded all land based air in the so. Pacific, to include the cactus air force, during the Solomon's campaign
-BuAer: headed up the equivalent of today's NAVAIRSYSCOM.
-DCNO for air
-commander of a carrier task group, TG 58.1, under TF58 during 1944
-assumed command of TF 38, leading all the fast carriers during Okinawa and the home island raids from late 44-45.

Four days after the formal surrender of Japan, McCain died of a heart attack that was most likely brought on by the stress of continued combat ops.

I think it's safe to say that McCain Sr earned his place amongst the greats of Naval Aviation.

 

[blackbart22]

The only Marine aviator to get the MOH in Viet Nam has a ship named for him, but it sure isn't a carrier. Steve Pless has a USNS T-AK named for him. Also the street named for him on Mirimar runs next to the brig. We were classmates in preflight and I think he'd get a laugh out of that.

 

[Catmando]

The only Marine aviator to get the MOH in Viet Nam has a ship named for him, but it sure isn't a carrier. Steve Pless has a USNS T-AK named for him. Also the street named for him on Mirimar runs next to the brig. We were classmates in preflight and I think he'd get a laugh out of that.

Major Pless, USMC​

 

[Beans]

Lot of ships named for aviators? Sure. Thatch, Stockdale, Mustin, McCain, Mitscher, Lassen, Forrest Sherman, Halsey, just to name a few.

McClusky

 

[SteveG75]

The only Marine aviator to get the MOH in Viet Nam has a ship named for him, but it sure isn't a carrier. Steve Pless has a USNS T-AK named for him. Also the street named for him on Mirimar runs next to the brig. We were classmates in preflight and I think he'd get a laugh out of that.

Major Pless was the class officer at AOCS when my stepfather got commisioned in class 33-68. Geoff said that nothing is more impressive than Marine Corps Dress Blues with the CMOH.

As an aside, the actual UH-1E that Pless flew on the mission for which he awarded the CMOH is on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.