They are ALL equally badass. With all due respect to your opinion, at the MOH level... I would never want to quantify the "badassedness" of any one recipient more or less over another. They are all a precious & historic group of true American heroes!I think CAPT Hudner's is the most badass Medal of Honor story in Naval Aviation.
Maybe not in today's Navy... but back in the Viet era, I believe our COC wouldn't have minded (if we had been flying Spads), but unlike props, the jets did not fare well when ditched. I wonder what was Hudner going to do if he had gotten LT Brown free of the cockpit? Try to take off from the mountainside with Brown 'piggyback' in the cockpit? Was his Spad flyable after the crash landing? Or just to free & carry Brown back to the helo and both RTB the carrier? Gutsy try either way!So, how do you think your chain of command would react if you crash landed your aircraft to aid another with no plan for escape? Not criticizing Capt. Hudner in the least. Just pointing out how times have changed.
Maybe not in today's Navy... but back in the Viet era, I believe our COC wouldn't have minded (if we had been flying Spads), but unlike props, the jets did not fare well when ditched. I wonder what was Hudner going to do if he had gotten LT Brown free of the cockpit? Try to take off from the mountainside with Brown 'piggyback' in the cockpit? Was his Spad flyable after the crash landing? Or just to free & carry Brown back to the helo and both RTB the carrier? Gutsy try either way!
BzB
So, how do you think your chain of command would react if you crash landed your aircraft to aid another with no plan for escape? Not criticizing Capt. Hudner in the least. Just pointing out how times have changed.
That whole scenario brings to mind Chief Forney & crewman bringing his chopper in to pick up LT Brubaker in "Bridges...". At least CAPT Hudner made it back. BTW, On USS MIDWAY in 1971, I stood quite a few OOD underway bridge watches under instruction (and the watchful eye of..), LT Frank Hudner, Asst. NavO, son our MOH hero.From my understanding of the story (based on the account in "Such Men As These"), Hudner fully expected a helo to be on its way shortly (which it was) and brought his plane down to help Brown escape the cockpit before it was engulfed in flames.
They are ALL equally badass. With all due respect to your opinion, at the MOH level... I would never want to quantify the "badassedness" of any one recipient more or less over another. They are all a precious & historic group of true American heroes!
BzB
I also think often about CAPT Mike Estocin, fellow Skyhawk driver, and VA-125 Squadronmate, IP 1962-'65. RIP Mike.Just wanted to say that this is absolutely true. And I probably think the same thing whenever I think about any MoH story...I know I certainly have about Admiral Stockdale.