quote:[url=http://www.aggienetwork.com/trip/2435/the-footsteps-of-rudder/][/url]
From the Normandy invasion to the Battle of the Hrtgen Forest, James Earl Rudder '32 led U.S. Army soldiers through some of the most vicious battles of World War II in Europe. On D-Day, he commanded the 2nd Ranger Battalion during its assault on the German coastal gun battery at Pointe Du Hocan assault that succeeded despite adverse circumstances and high casualties. Six month later, Rudder's Rangers were ordered to capture Hill 400 near the German village of Bergstein. Again Rudder and his men experienced intense combat and suffered heavy losses. Then on Dec. 8, 1944, Rudder took command of the 28th Infantry Division's battle-ravaged 109th Infantry Regiment. With its new commanding officer, the 109th moved south to the Hoesdorf Plateau in Luxembourga move that put the regiment in the crosshairs of the Battle of the Bulge. This itinerary will follow Rudder's footsteps through these battles.
Link to the Traveling Aggies page for this trip.