Rudolf Anderson

Rudolf Anderson
Major Rudolf Anderson, USAF
Born	(1927-09-15)September 15, 1927 Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	October 27, 1962(1962-10-27) (aged 35) Near Banes, Cuba
Buried at	Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1948–1962
Rank	Major
Unit	4028th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron
Battles/wars	Korean War Cuban Missile Crisis
Awards	Air Force Cross Air Force Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Purple Heart Cheney Award

Rudolf Anderson, Jr. (September 15, 1927 – October 27, 1962), was a pilot and commissioned officer in the United States Air Force and the first recipient of the Air Force Cross, the U.S. Air Force's second-highest award for heroism. The only person killed by enemy fire during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Anderson died when his U-2 spy aircraft was shot down over Cuba.

Anderson was born September 15, 1927, in Greenville, South Carolina. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout from Greenville's Boy Scout Troop 19, graduated from Greenville High School and from Clemson University as a member of Air Force ROTC Detachment 770, in 1948. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, he completed Primary and Advanced pilot training and received his U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating as a pilot. He began his operational career flying RF-86 Sabres and earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses for reconnaissance missions during the Korean War. After qualifying on the U-2 on September 3, 1957, "he became the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing's top U-2 pilot with over one thousand hours, making him a vital part of the United States' reconnaissance operation over Cuba in late October of 1962."

Originally flown by the CIA, the Lockheed U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance missions over Cuba were taken over by the Air Force on October 14, 1962, using CIA U-2 aircraft that were repainted with USAF insignia. Anderson was part of the 4028th Strategic Reconnaissance Weather Squadron, 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, headquartered at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. On October 15, when CIA analysts studied reconnaissance film from the first 4080th overflight, they found SS-4 medium-range ballistic missiles. These pictures triggered the Cuban Missile Crisis.