Rudy Boesch, now famous for his television appearance on “Survivor,” joined the Navy in April of 1945. He immediately volunteered for “secret and hazardous duty” with the Amphibious Scouts and Raiders, highly classified naval commando units.
In 1951, six years after Scout and Raider training at Fort Pierce, Florida, Boesch completed UDT (Underwater Demolition Teams) training in Little Creek, Virginia, and was assigned to UDT-2 (redesigned as UDT-21 in 1953). He remained in UDT-21 for the next 11 years. During this period, he completed numerous specialized schools and deployed routinely to the Mediterranean and Caribbean areas with the Naval Amphibious Forces.
Boesch became a proficient combat swimmer and expert in small-boat operations. In 1962, Boesch was one of the 50 hand-selected officers of the original SEAL Team TWO, becoming one of their most distinguished members.
Master Chief Rudy Boesch retired from the U.S. Navy after completing over 45 years continuous activity. He was honorably discharged on August 1, 1990.
Rudy Boesch currently lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He and Marge have three children, Ellen Marie, Patricia Ann and Barbara Jean, and one granddaughter, Kelsey. His birth date is January 20, 1928.