Rudolf Anderson Jr. (September 15, 1927 – October 27, 1962) was an American Air Force major and pilot. He was the first recipient of the Air Force Cross, the U.S. military's and Air Force's second-highest award and decoration for valor. The only U.S. fatality by enemy fire during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Anderson was killed when his U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over Cuba. He had previously served in Korea during the Korean War.

Early life and education

Anderson was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina <!-- September 15, 1927,--> near Greenville. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout from <!--Greenville's-->Boy Scout Troop&nbsp;19 “America’s Troop 19” in Greenville and was a member of Recovery Lodge no. 31, Greenville's oldest Masonic Lodge. After graduating from Augusta Circle Elementary School in Greenville, he&nbsp;graduated from Greenville High School in 1944. In 1948, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Textile Engineering from Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina as a member of Air Force ROTC Detachment&nbsp;770. For the next three years, he was employed in Greenville.

Air Force career

He entered the Air Force in November 1951 during the Korean War. At 10:19 a.m., he was shot down over Banes, Cuba, by one of two Soviet-supplied S-75 Dvina (NATO designation SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missiles that were fired at his aircraft by the orders of two Soviet generals, stationed in Havana.

The missile exploded near Anderson's plane, spraying it with shrapnel. Some penetrated Anderson's helmet and pressure suit, either killing him instantly or within a few seconds due to depressurization and loss of oxygen.

On October 31, Acting United Nations Secretary-General U Thant returned from a visit with Premier Fidel Castro and announced that Anderson was dead.<!----> His&nbsp;body was released by Cuba on Sunday, November&nbsp;4, and he was buried at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Greenville two days&nbsp;later.

By order of President John F. Kennedy, Anderson was posthumously awarded the first Air Force Cross, as well as the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the Purple Heart, and the Cheney Award. On July 26, 2011, Anderson was inducted into the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Distinguished Alumni in a ceremony at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, officiated by Lieutenant General Allen G. Peck, Commander, Air University. Three reconnaissance-variant Boeing RB-47 Stratojets of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing crashed between September 27 and November 11, 1962, killing a total of 11 crewmembers. Seven more airmen died when a Boeing C-135B Stratolifter delivering ammunition to Naval Base Guantanamo Bay in Cuba stalled and crashed on approach on October 23.

Wreckage

thumb|right|[[S-75 Dvina with V-750V 1D missile (NATO SA-2 Guideline) on a launcher. An installation similar to this one shot down Anderson's U-2 over Cuba.]]

Some of the wreckage of Major Anderson's aircraft is on display in three museums in Cuba. One of the engine intakes is at the Museo de la Lucha contra Bandidos in Trinidad. The engine and portion of the tail assembly from the U-2F is at the Museum of the Revolution in Havana. The right wing, a portion of the tail assembly, and front landing gear are at the Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, or La Cabaña, Havana. The two latter groups of parts were previously displayed at the Museo del Aire, Havana.

<gallery>

Image:Engine u2.jpg|<div style="text-align: center;">The engine of the U-2F in the Museum of the Revolution in Havana.</div>

Image:U-2-Intake.jpg|<div style="text-align: center;">One of the engine air intakes of the U-2F in the Museo de la Lucha contra los Bandidos in Trinidad.</div>

Image:U2 Wreckage Apr 2002.jpg|<div style="text-align: center;">The underside of the right wing showing the U.S. national insignia, a portion of the tail assembly (right side of photo) and the front landing gear.</div>

Image:Reconnaissance objectives in Cuba, 1962.JPG|<div style="text-align: center;">Reconnaissance objectives in Cuba, 1962.</div>

</gallery>

Military awards

Anderson's military awards and decorations are as follows:

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|colspan="3" |Senior Pilot Badge

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|colspan="3" |Air Force Cross

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|Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

|Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 oak leaf clusters

|Purple Heart

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|Air Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster

|Presidential Unit Citation

|National Defense Service Medal with 1 bronze star

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|Korean Service Medal with 1 bronze star

|Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

|Air Force Longevity Service Award with 1 oak leaf cluster

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|Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation

|United Nations Service Medal

|Republic of Korea War Service Medal

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Air Force Cross citation

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<blockquote>The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Rudolf Anderson, Major, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Strategic Air Command (SAC), from 15 October 1962 to 27 October 1962. During this period of great national crisis, Major Anderson, flying an unescorted, unarmed aircraft, lost his life while participating in one of several aerial reconnaissance missions over Cuba. While executing these aerial missions, Major Anderson made photographs which provided the United States government with conclusive evidence of the introduction of long-range offensive missiles into Cuba and which materially assisted our leaders in charting the nation's military and diplomatic course. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Major Anderson reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

  • The Maj. Rudolf Anderson Jr. Squadron of the Arnold Air Society at Clemson University was named in his honor.
  • American Legion Post 214 in Greenville, South Carolina, was named after him in 2015.
  • A memorial to Anderson was erected and dedicated to him in 1963 at Cleveland Park in Greenville. No surplus U-2 aircraft were available at the time, so an F-86 Sabre like the ones he flew in Korea was used instead: North American YF-86H-1-NA Sabre, AF Ser. No. 52-1976. The memorial was redesigned, and it was rededicated on October 27, 2012, the 50th anniversary of Anderson's death.
  • The building for the 47th Operations Group at Laughlin AFB, Texas, was renamed "Anderson Hall" in 2001.
  • Anderson was inducted in the South Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008.
  • Anderson was inducted into the Greenville County Schools Hall of Fame in 2019.

The shooting down of Anderson's U-2 reconnaissance flight over Cuba is featured in the 2000 film Thirteen Days starring Kevin Costner; actor Charles Esten plays the role of Anderson.

See also

  • 1960 U-2 incident
  • Francis Gary Powers

References

  • Central Intelligence Agency report – supplement 8 to Joint Evaluation of Soviet Missile Threat in Cuba, 0200 hours, October 28, 1962.
  • Major Rudolf Anderson Jr. on ClemsonWiki by Mark Sublette from the Clemson Wiki website