Over 50 chief petty officers and chief petty officer selectees helped retired Capt. Thomas J. Hudner, Medal of Honor recipient, celebrate his 92nd birthday at his home in Concord, Massachusetts, Aug. 31.

The Sailors celebrated by marching through the neighborhood streets while singing cadences, singing "Anchors Aweigh" and "Happy Birthday" while the Medal of Honor recipient sat in front of his house, surprised and surrounded by family and friends.

"We decided this would be a great way to honor both the heritage of the chief petty officer selects and a true American hero on his birthday," said Lt. Cmdr. Timothy Anderson, executive officer of USS Constitution.

"We had a lot of support from the Massachusetts National Guard, State Police, the Concord Police Department, as well as Captain Hudner's friends and family," said Anderson.

Hudner intentionally crashed his airplane into the side of a mountain in an attempt to save his wingman, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, during the Korean War in 1950. Brown, the Navy's first African-American aviator, passed away shortly after succumbing to his injuries. Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor for his fearless actions.

The Sailors brought a cake and gifted a plaque made of wood and copper from "Old Ironsides."

"It was an experience; something I will never forget," said Chief Yeoman (select) Meaghan Russell, one of many chief petty officer selectees training at Constitution in Boston. "You could see it on his face how shocked and honored he was that we were there, but we were the ones who were honored."

The U.S. Navy is honoring Hudner and his heroic efforts by naming a new Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer after him. Future USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) is being built at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, and is scheduled to be commissioned in 2018.

Constitution is hosting the Navy's newest chiefs for two weeks for annual history and heritage training.

USS Constitution, America's Ship of State, actively defended sealanes against global threats from 1797-1855. Now a featured destination on Boston's Freedom Trail, Constitution and her crew of active-duty U.S. Navy Sailors offer community outreach and education about the ship's history and the importance of naval seapower to more than 500,000 visitors each year. Constitution is currently dry docked in Charlestown Navy Yard for a multi-year planned restoration period.

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