Aggie President Led Dangerous D-Day Mission

The most dangerous assignment of the Normandy invasion, climbing the cliffs at Point du Hoc and knocking out a German artillery battery, went to Lt. Col. James Earl Rudder on Jun. 6, 1944.

The D-Day daredevil was born and raised in Eden, not the biblical paradise but a small ranching community between San Angelo and Brady. Rudder left home in 1927 with highschool diploma in hand to attend John Tarleton Agricultural College at Stephenville.

The serious student soon discovered that the meager income from two part-time jobs could not cover the cost of a college education. He sought the advice of his football coach, who asked the local Lion’s Club for help.

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