About - James Earl Rudder High School

About RHS

Rudder High School opened the doors of its brand new facility to students on August 25, 2008, with an approximate enrollment of 600 ninth and tenth graders. Rudder High School will grow to approximately 1250 students in grades 9-12 by the year 2012.

Statue of General James Earl Rudder on the campus of Texas A&M University

The school was named for General James Earl Rudder, a soldier, land commissioner, and president of Texas A&M. He was called into active duty in 1941 and had a celebrated military career during World War II. In 1943, as a lieutenant colonel, he became commander and trainer of the Second Ranger Battalion, which had a major role in the D-Day invasion. Rudder's Rangers stormed the beach at Pointe du Hoc and, under constant enemy fire, scaled 100-foot cliffs to reach and destroy German gun batteries. Rudder won the election for Texas land commissioner in 1956 and served until February 1, 1958. That year, he became vice president of Texas A&M University. He became president in 1959 and president of the entire A&M system in 1965. In 1967 President Lyndon Johnson presented Rudder the Distinguished Service Medal, the highest peacetime service award.