Frederick J. Ruder Papers

1942-1985
Manuscript Collection #530
Creator(s)
Ruder, Frederick J., 1917-
Physical description
0.11 Cubic Feet, 90 items , consisting of correspondence, citations, certificates, programs, clippings, photographs, and miscellaneous items.
Preferred Citation
Frederick J. Ruder Papers (#530), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

Papers (1942-1985) including correspondence, citations, certificates, programs, clippings, photographs, and miscellaneous items.


Biographical/historical information

Frederick Joseph Ruder (b. August 5, 1917, in Ohio) joined the Navy in 1935, served on the USS WEST VIRGINIA, and was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1937. After graduating from the academy in February 1941, he was commissioned an ensign and assigned to the USS PHELPS . During the early part of World War II, Ruder participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battles of the Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal. In 1944 he reported to submarine school and subsequently served on the USS HADDO, and the USS DACE, participating in four war patrols. After the war, Ruder served on the submarines BURRFISH, REQUIN, ARGONAUT, and as commanding officer of the BECUNA ; spent two years in Paris on the staff of the U.S. Commander in Chief Europe (USCINCEUR); served as commanding officer of the destroyer USS WALLACE L. LIND in the Mediterranean (1956-1958); was on the staff of the Commander in Chief of Allied Forces in the Mediterranean (NATO) at Malta (1958-1960); and served on the flagship USS ELDORADO (1962-1964). Ruder retired from active duty in 1971.


Scope and arrangement

Limited correspondence in the collection includes several letters from Ruder to his wife Elizabeth (Bette). One letter describes a long flight to his station and the primitive restroom facilities on the plane (April 1944). Several letters (August 1945) describe the reactions of sailors on the submarine DACE when news of Japan's surrender was announced, and tell of Ruder's promotion to lieutenant commander and the subsequent ceremonial "baptism" he received by being tossed overboard. Other letters include congratulations on the completion of his tours on the WALLACE L. LIND and the USS ELDORADO from Rear Admiral Edmund Battelle Taylor, Commander Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (September 1958), and Vice Admiral John Barr Colwell, Commander Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (August 1964). A letter from March 1985 includes photocopies of the USS PHELPS 's log, describing activities in April and May of 1942. Exerpts from the log for May 8, 1942, a long with official reports, describe the PHELPS 's participation in Coral Sea action including rescue operations of the damaged LEXINGTON 's personnel and the subsequent scuttling of that ship by the PHELPS .

Other items consist of a bronze star medal citation (1946) for duty on board the USS HADDO from August 8 to October 3, 1944; certificates forHonorary Member, Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (1958), "Amphibious Man-of-Warsman," Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (1964), and the Sacred Order of the Golden Dragon (crossing the dateline ceremony); invitations; programs for change of command ceremonies on the ELDORADO (1962, 1964) and for the 21st Anniversary of the Amphibious Forces (1963); and clippings. A brochure (June 17, 1963) for the family cruise of the ELDORADO, flagship of the Commander Pacific Fleet Amphibious Forces, explains the duties and capabilities of the ship and the various exercises to be performed by her, and gives a brief history and floor plan of the vessel.

Photographs in the collection are of Ruder and of vessels he served on, especially the DACE and its officers and crew. Other photographs are of the ELDORADO and crew, the BURRFISH crew, the RANDOLPH, the BECUNA, and refueling operations of the WALLACE L. LIND . The headquarters building of the Allied Forces, Mediterranean, at Malta, and shipboard visits by Governor John Davis Lodge of Connecticut, the U.S. Ambassador to Taiwan Jerauld Wright (1964), and Inchon, Korea, Mayor Chang Soo Yong (1964) are also topics of photographs.

For related material see O.H. 88.


Administrative information
Custodial History

May 26, 1987, 86 items; Correspondence (1944-1946), photographs, citations, certificates, programs and other materials of U.S. Naval officer from U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1941. Gift of Capt. Frederick J. Ruder, USN (Ret), Herndon, Virginia

Source of acquisition

Gift of Capt. Frederick J. Ruder, USN (Ret)

Processing information

Processed by V. Jones, Jr., May 1991

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.


Key terms
Personal Names
Colwell, J. B. (John Barr), 1909-2008
Ruder, Frederick J., 1917-
Taylor, Edmund B. (Edmund Battelle), 1904-
Corporate Names
Dace (Submarine)
Eldorado (Command ship)
Haddo (Submarine : SS-255)
United States. Navy--Officers
Wallace L. Lind (Destroyer)
Topical
Capitulations, Military--Japan
World War, 1939-1945--Japan
World War, 1939-1945--Naval operations, American