Portrait of Fall River Korean War hero, Medal of Honor recipient Hudner to go on display

FALL RIVER, Mass. (WLNE) — Today in Fall River, a portrait will be donated to the Government Center honoring a local war hero.

Mayor Paul Coogan will be on hand to receive that portrait of Captain Thomas J. Hudner, Jr, the navy officer who earned a Medal of Honor in the Korean War.

Back in 1950, Hudner flew with five other planes to provide support to Marines who were trapped by Chinese army forces.

That’s when antiaircraft guns shot down Hudner’s wingman, Ensign Jesse Brown.

In trying to save Brown, Hudner intentionally crashed his plane, and found Brown, but he could not be saved.

President Truman awarded Hudner the Medal of Honor in 1951.

The story was later told in the 2022 movie, Devotion, with Glen Powell playing Hudner.

Hudner died at the age of 93 in Concord, Mass, in 2017.

His portrait will be displayed in the main lobby of the Government Center starting at 10 this morning.