LIEUTENANT GENERAL
JOHN I. HUDSON, USMC
(RETIRED)
Lieutenant General John I. Hudson was born on 12 October 1932 in Louisville, Kentucky. On 10 June 1954, he completed the Naval Aviation Cadet Program and accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. He was designated a Naval Aviator the next day. In August 1955, after serving his first year of commissioned service as a Squadron Pilot and Material Officer for VMC-2 in Cherry Point, N.C., he was promoted to first lieutenant, and transferred to the Naval Air Training Command, Pensacola, Florida, to serve as a flight instructor.
Following two years of flight instructing, he was assigned to the Photo Reconnaissance School, remaining in Pensacola for training for six months. In December 1957, he was ordered to VMCJ-2 in Cherry Point, where he served as a Photo Reconnaissance Officer for two years. During this period, he was promoted to captain in December 1958.
Captain Hudson spent the following three years on inactive duty and participated in the reserve program with MARTC, Memphis, Tennessee. In May 1962, he returned to active duty and was reassigned to VMCJ-2, where he served as the Aircraft Maintenance Officer. Between May 1962 and June 1963, he participated in aerial photo reconnaissance over Cuba during the missile crisis and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross.
Assigned to an infantry tour, he served for 18 months as Air Liaison Officer, Assistant Battalion Operations Officer, and finally as Commanding Officer for Headquarters and Service Company, 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division on Okinawa. In August 1964, his unit served in the South China Sea with Task Force 76, in direct support of Vietnam operations.
Returning to the United States in December 1964, he reported to the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing in El Toro, California, for duty as Aviation Safety Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 33, a billet he held for the next year and a half. During this period, he was promoted to major in November 1965, then assigned briefly as Executive Officer then as Commanding Officer of VMFA-122, until February 1967, when he was reassigned as the S-4 Officer of MAG-33.
Ordered to Vietnam in November 1967, he spent tours as the Executive Officer, MABS-13; Executive Officer, VMFA-115; and Commanding Officer, VMFA-115; before being ordered back to Cherry Point, as G-3 Training Officer, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing. For his combat service in Vietnam, Major Hudson was awarded a Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”; and 25 Air Medals.
He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in April 1969, and in January 1970, he was accepted for the College Degree Program. He was ordered to Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, where he received a B.S. degree in Management. Subsequently ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., during July 1971, he served as Head, Aviation Enlisted Technical Manpower Requirements Section for the next two years.
From July 1973 to May 1974, he was a student at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Following graduation, he was ordered overseas where he spent six months as the Aviation Safety Officer, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing; and seven months as Executive Officer, MAG-15, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, in Iwakuni, Japan.
Transferred to Yuma, Arizona, in August 1975, LtCol Hudson served initially as Executive Officer MCCRTG-10. In July 1976, he was promoted to colonel, assuming duties as the Commanding Officer. In October 1977, he became the Commanding Officer of the Air Station. Promoted to brigadier general on 12 May 1980, he assumed duty as the Assistant Wing Commander, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing. He was assigned additional duty as Commanding General of the 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade on 2 October 1980.
Brigadier General Hudson was assigned duty as Commanding General, Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic/Commanding General, 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade, NAB Little Creek, Norfolk, Virginia, on 30 April 1981, serving in these capacities until 10 June 1983. He was assigned duty as Deputy for Education/Director, Education Center, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia, on 15 June 1983; and was advanced to major general on 2 March 1984. He assumed command of the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, at MCAS El Toro, California, on 7 June 1985. On 23 April 1986, he assumed command of I Marine Amphibious Force, serving in this capacity until 23 August 1986. MajGen Hudson relinquished command of 3d MAW on 6 October 1987 and was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower on 1 November 1987. He was advanced to his present grade of lieutenant general on 25 January 1988 and with the reorganization of the Headquarters became the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Reserve Affairs on 1 December 1988.
Lieutenant General Hudson retired from active service on 1 November 1989.
His medals and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross; Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device for valor; Air Medal with Arabic numeral “l” and strike/flight award numeral “24”, Combat Action Ribbon; Navy Unit Commendation with two bronze stars in lieu of second and third awards; the Meritorious Unit Commendation; Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Citation; and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.