Name:
Rudy J. Swiestra
Rank:
Captain
Serial Number:
Unit:
7406th Support Squadron
Date of Death:
1958-09-02
State:
Cemetery:
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virg
Plot:
Row:
Grave:
2526
Decoration:
Comments:
Rudy was born as Ruurd Johannes Swierstra on March 12, 1920 at Wieuwerd, Netherlands. Captain Rudy Swiestra was the Aircraft Commander of a C-130 stationed at Rhein-Main Airbase, Germany. He was a crewman aboard a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft from the 7406th Support Squadron, a C-130, tail number 60528. His aircraft was shot down by Soviet MiG-17s over Soviet Armenia on 2 September 1958. He and 16 other men were killed in the subsequent crash.