James Earl Rudder - Eden, TX
Posted by: 
WalksfarTX
N 31° 12.896 W 099° 50.695
14R E 419519 N 3453730
This memorial can be found in a small triangular park in front of the Eden City Hall. It is a metal plaque attached to a brick pillar.
Waymark Code: WMY3W3
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/15/2018
Views: 0
The top of the plaque has a relief bust of Rudder. Below is the following text:
JAMES EARL RUDDER
MAY 6, 1910 - MARCH 23, 1970
BRAVE SOLDIER, TRUSTED STATESMAN, DISTINGUISHED ADMINISTRATOR,
PROUD TEXAS, GREAT AMERICAN.
BORN IN EDEN, TEXAS, THE SON OF DEE FOREST AND ANNIE POWELL RUDDER. WAS
GRADUATED FROM THE A&M COLLEGE OF TEXAS IN 1932 AND COMMISSIONED 2ND LIEU-
TENANT OF INFANTRY. WAS A TEACHER, COACH, AREA RANCHER AND BUSINESSMAN. SERVED
AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BRADY, TEXAS.
ORGANIZED AND PERSONALLY LED THE 2ND RANGER BATTALIO (AND ELEMENTS OF THE 5TH RANGER BATTALION) IN AN ASSAULT ON THE 100-FOOT CLIFFS OF POINTE
DU HOE DURING THE D-DAY INVASION OF NORMANDY, JUNE 1944. WOUNDED TWICE BY ENEMY FIRE THAT CUT DOWN HALF HIS COMMAND. SAID GENERAL OMAR BRADLY "NO SOLDIER INMY COMMAND HAS EVER BEEN WISHED A MORE DIFFICULT TASK THAN THAT WHICH BEFELL THE 34-YEAR-OLD RUDDER..." NAMED COMMANDER OF THE 109TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 28TH INFANTRY DIVISION, WHICH PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN REPULSING GERMANY'S LAST GREAT COUNTER-OFFENSIVE, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. RETIRED IN 1967 AS MAJOR GENERAL AFTER 35 YEARS OF ACTIVE AND RESERVE SERVICE. MILITARY DECORATIONS INCLUDED DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, LEGION OF MERIT, SILVER STAR, BRONZE STAR WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, PURPLE HEART WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, FRENCH LEGIO OF HONOR WITH CROIX
DE GUERRE AND PALM, BELGIAN ORDER OF LEOPOLD WITH CROIX
DE GUERRE AND PALM.
APPOINTED COMMISSIONER OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE OF TEXAS IN 1955. RESTORED CONFIDENCE IN VETERAN'S LAND AFFAIRS WHILE IN THE PUBLIC OFFICE AND SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED THE FINANCIAL FOUNDATION OF TEXAS' EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
NAMED VICE PRESIDENT OF TEXAS A&M IN 1958. SELECTED 11TH PRESIDENT IN 1959 AND ADDITIONALLY, PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IN 1965. HIS DECADE OF DEDICATED LEADERSHIP EARNED FOR HIM THE TITLE "THE BUILDER OF A&M", A TRIBUTE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY UNDER HIS WISE AND STABLE ADMINISTRATION.
MARRIED IN 1937 TO MARGARET E. WILLIAMSON OF MENARD, TEXAS. THEIR CHILDREN: JAMES EARL, JR., ANNE, LINDA, JANE AND ROBERT.