United States Air Force Officer. He became the only casualty of the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when he was shot down and killed while flying over Cuba. A senior pilot with over 3,000 hours flying time at the time of the Crisis, he had served in the Korean War as a reconnaissance pilot and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two clusters. He had over 1,000 hours as a U-2 reconnaissance plane pilot prior to being shot down. His downing at the height of the Crisis was later determined to have been on the orders of local commanders, and not the Soviet Union government. In 1963 a memorial to him that included an F-86 Saber jet fighter was dedicated on Ridgeland Drive in Cleveland Park in Greenville, South Carolina. Major Rudolf Anderson's military awards include the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters (third award), the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart Medal, the Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the National Defense Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal.
United States Air Force Officer. He became the only casualty of the October 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when he was shot down and killed while flying over Cuba. A senior pilot with over 3,000 hours flying time at the time of the Crisis, he had served in the Korean War as a reconnaissance pilot and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two clusters. He had over 1,000 hours as a U-2 reconnaissance plane pilot prior to being shot down. His downing at the height of the Crisis was later determined to have been on the orders of local commanders, and not the Soviet Union government. In 1963 a memorial to him that included an F-86 Saber jet fighter was dedicated on Ridgeland Drive in Cleveland Park in Greenville, South Carolina. Major Rudolf Anderson's military awards include the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters (third award), the Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart Medal, the Korean Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star, the National Defense Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal.
Bio by: Erik Lander
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MAJOR RUDOLF ANDERSON JR USAF
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