Staff Sergeant Robert G. Rudd entered the U.S. Army on April 12, 1942. He served with Company C, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, during WWII. During the Battle of the Bulge, Rudd was killed during the fighting in Rocherath, Belgium. Due to major restrictions in the area, his remains were not immediately recovered. His remains were later interred as unknown.

Through dedicated research by Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the remains of Staff Sergeant Rudd were identified and returned home in December 2023, after being listed as Missing in Action for 78 years.