Memorial

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S/Sgt Robert G. Rudd was a chauffeur before he enlisted in Dallas, Texas on 13 April 1942.

On 30 January 1945, Rudd was killed when his company attacked heavily fortified enemy forces near the town of Rocherath, Belgium. Due to intense fighting and fierce artillery shelling, Rudd’s body was unrecoverable.

In 2017, after reviewing information provided by Belgian and American researchers, DPAA historians analyzed evidence related to several sets of remains initially recovered by Belgian locals from a common grave of seven soldiers in the Elsenborn Forest near Wirtzfeld that had been interred at what is now the Ardennes American Cemetery in 1949, including unknown remains X-3144 Neuville. Following an interdisciplinary analysis by DPAA historical and scientific staff, the X-3144 remains were disinterred in 2021 from Ardennes American Cemetery for comparison with a list of candidates, including Rudd.
To identify Rudd’s remains, scientists from DPAA used anthropological analysis and dental records. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR), and autosomal DNA (auSTR) analyses.

The report of Unknown X-3144 states that the soldier was killed by artillery fire.

Rudd’s name is recorded on the Tablets of the Missing at Ardennes Cemetery. A rosette was placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

S/Sgt Rudd was given his final resting place in Belton, Texas on 9 December 2023 at Bethel Cemetery near Gatesville.