30 Sep 2006 Private Rudd and I were in boot camp together in San Diego in 1967. He and I were the same physically, large with big feet. We became very close when we were sent together to the limbo known as the Physical Fitness Platoon. After boot camp I remembered Rudd for a long time because our tennis shoes got mixed up in PFP and I had one shoe marked Marlowe and one marked Rudd. He had his two front upper teeth pulled during boot camp, which gave him a unique appearance, to say the least. Rudd was a simple country boy with a gentle spirit and a good heart. Years ago, when I heard that the traveling Wall would be at Knott's Berry Farm, I went in order to look up the names of school friends. While there, for some reason I thought of Rudd. I hadn't seen him since boot camp and wondered what had happened to him over the 25 years since. I was heartsick to find his name on the Wall. Periodically since 1967 I thought of this big country boy and wished him well, not knowing he had died just months after leaving San Diego. To his family I belatedly express my sincerest condolences at your loss. He was a good man. From a fellow Marine, Bob Marlowe P. O. Box 2831, Rowlett, Texas 75030 wrmedu@aol.com

 

A Note from The Virtual Wall In April 1968 the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines was at Khe Sanh. On 21 April the Battalion was tasked with a sweep outside the Khe Sanh defensive perimeter, with the Marines to be landed at LZ EAGLE. The first landings went into a "hot" zone and further insertions were delayed while the Marines already on the ground, air, and artillery discouraged the NVA mortarmen who were firing on the LZ. According to the 2/1 Command Chronology there were three men killed during the initial landings at LZ Eagle: Pfc Irving D. Barrows, De Ridder, LA (Echo 2/1) Pfc Richard J. Rudd, Keokuk, IA (radioman, H&S 2/1) Pfc Gridley B. Strong, Ontario, CA (Hotel 2/1) The Keokuk National Cemetery, Lee County, Iowa, records the burials of two Richard Rudds: Richard John Rudd Jr, 02 Mar 1947-21 Apr 1968, Pfc USMC, Plot 179, buried 10 May 1968 Richard J Rudd Sr, 24 May 1919-04 Oct 1995, PFC US Army, Plot J-0-818, buried 11 Oct 1995

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