flak while supporting embattled Marines at Chosin. He crash-landed his Corsair behind enemy lines on a snow-covered mountain slope. His wingman, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., could see that Brown survived the forced landing, but appeared to be trapped in the cockpit with smoke coming from the engine compartment. In an attempt to save his squadron mate, Hudner crash-landed his plane alongside Brown's. Hudner found Brown semi-conscious, but was unable to extricate him from the crumpled fuselage. Brown died in Hudner's arms, and although the attempted rescue failed, Hudner received the Medal of Honor and Brown received the Distinguished Flying Cross posthumously. In November 1952 the squadron returned to the East Coast and became the first squadron to operate the swept-wing F9F-6 Cougar. VF-32 made subsequent deployments aboard in 1953 and the in 1955. In 1956, VF-32 became the first squadron to transition to the F8U-1 Crusader, thus becoming the first supersonic squadron in the Navy. While deployed aboard as a unit of Carrier Air Group THREE, VF-32 participated in the 1958 Lebanon crisis. 1960s During the Cuban Missile Crisis in late 1962, VF-32 flew 96 sorties to support photo-reconnaissance flights and intelligence-gathering missions. After returning from cruise in 1965, the squadron changed homeport from NAS Cecil Field, Florida to NAS Oceana, Virginia, and switched to the F-4B Phantom II. VF-32 detached from Carrier Air Group THREE, ending a relationship that had lasted since the squadron's establishment. In June 1966, VF-32 embarked aboard as a component of Carrier Air Group ONE and sailed for Yankee Station in Southeast Asia. The squadron flew 940 combat sorties during three line periods in five months, building a highly successful Vietnam War combat record, losing no aircraft or aircrew. In May 1968, VF-32 deployed aboard for her maiden voyage. 1970s For service in October 1970, the squadron received the Meritorious Unit Commendation for actions in support of the United States Sixth Fleet operations during the Middle East Crisis. In 1974, VF-32 switched to the F-14 Tomcat at NAS Miramar before moving to NAS Oceana as one of the first fleet Tomcat squadrons based there. VF-32 made the first Atlantic Fleet F-14 deployment in June 1975. On that cruise, VF-32 was awarded the Joseph Clifton Award as the Navy's top fighter squadron. In October 1977, VF-32 became the first fleet squadron to fly against the Air Force F-15 Eagle, setting the stage for