9.23.2025 - Captain Thomas Hudner Portrait Unveiling

Good morning everyone. Thank you for being here. I really appreciate it. Um Tom Hutnau was a friend of mine and for years uh he came back to the city of Fall River and gave back at every chance he had. He was a member of the board of directors of Battleship Cove. Uh at the same time I was and I got to know him very well. Um he was a very humble man.

Um but he did extraordinary things not only um for his re receiving the Medal of Honor but in giving back to this community and one day I read an article about all the famous people that had given back to the city and were from the city and Tom Hudson's name was not on it and I found that kind of upsetting and hard to believe. So, uh, I embarked on, um,

trying to get, uh, his name out to the community and, uh, we were lucky enough with the hard work of our state reps and state senator to name the Heritage Park building after, uh, Captain Hudner. And, uh, we uh, asked Brian Fox to do a portrait of him and the original hangs in Heritage State Park building. And Brian's here with us today. And I also felt that it was a great place to

have it hanging here in city hall so that when people come in to do their everyday business, they might see his portrait and read about his story uh and his friendship with Jesse Brown, the first black naval aviator in the country's history who died in Korea on December 4th, 1950. Tom tried to save him. uh he crashlanded his plane in the mountains, put out a fire in his plane and worked tirelessly to try and get him

out of the plane. He was stuck in the plane and just that's where Jesse passed away. Um but Jesse Brown in a period of um as we know back in the 50s racism he overcame tremendous odds to become a naval aviator and um in doing so he met Tom Hunter and they became friends which was unusual. Uh, so Tom's story and the fact that he grew up right here in Fall

River, a great city to live in and grow up in and learn in, um, I think is an important story for all of us to know here in Fall River and especially for our young people in Fall River to hear about what he has done and where he came from. So, I don't know the mayor would like to speak and we have Brian here, too.

Mr. Mayor, thank you. No, Paul, thank you. Uh Paul has been a lifelong friend and he did great work to bring this photo here of uh Captain Hudner. It's very important. But I want to thank everybody for attending um the unveiling of this limited edition print of Captain Tom Hutner, a Fall River native. The original painting of Thomas Hutner hangs in the recently dedicated Heritage uh state park. Captain Hudner

was a forever native, a Navy officer and a navy aviator who rose to the rank of captain and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

President Truman for by President Truman for his valiant efforts to save his wingmen as Paul just described Jesse Brown. We are extremely proud of Captain Hudner, his bravery, his dedicated service to the country, and we want to thank Paul again and Donna and the and the family of Harold Hudner, Bay Coast Bank, St.

An's Credit Union, Joe and Joanne Marshall, and the Riverside Art for their generous donation of this print.

And of course, again, Brian Fox for his tremendous work. This print will hang in the lobby of Government Center so we can acknowledge the efforts and the bravery of Captain Hudner every single day. Um, at this time I'd like to turn it over to a close friend of mine. Uh, she's obviously here to say a few words about how important this is to her. Also, Representative Carol Fiola.

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Paul. Uh, what a great day. It's just another example of uh how we honor veterans in this community. Uh how we rally and uh bring a lot of people together. And thanks to you uh because of your friendship and uh recognition of how important Thomas Hudner was not only to Fall River, which is key, but to the world and sending a message, a very important message of unity and acceptance

um and friendship and kindness. Uh it was exciting to be at Heritage Park when we dedicated uh the building to in his honor and in his name to have his family there with us. Uh but again another example of how this community rallies and comes together to recognize and honor uh people who are very special and in particular our veterans. Um, it is our goal and I know it's Paul's goal and

the mayors and Brians and and the veterans groups that when young people come into this building especially with their family members and they turn around and go, "Who's that?" that the story be told um that um bravery and um and and and happens right here in the city of Fall River. So, it's an honor to be here on behalf of my colleagues, Senator Rodri, Representative Sylvia, Representative Wlette, and we'll always

stand behind you. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.

Were you going to invite up say anything? Proud.

Not really. But you want to unveil it can tell us.

Good. Nice to see you, buddy.

Are we just pulling this? Should just go.

Is it safe to just yank?

Yeah, it should.

Ready, Brian? One, two, three, let's go.

Oh beautiful.

Well, I play with paint for a living.

So, it's it's an incredible honor to when people like Paul approach me and say, "Hey, look, I got a great project for you." Uh so I take it very serious and it's a big responsibility. So um you know that's how that's how the project came about and I'm always humbled by being asked to do these things and I I know you've done other similar uh work in terms of veterans and the

military and is that something that's close to your heart in general?

Yeah, it's close to my heart. It's become close to my heart as you get to know any of these veterans. How can it not be? So, because I have this relationship with these different veterans, you turn around, you want to represent and create their narratives for them and help them to be remembered.

Thanks.

I'm going to jump in here. Um, Brian's got a showing at the Narrow Center starting in October of all his military paintings and they are unbelievable. So, uh, it's going to be at the Narrows for 3 months. Uh hopefully everybody can get down there and see his works from World War II on through. Uh so um you know hopefully people will come and see his works.