Rudy Boesch
Rudy Boesch | |
---|---|
Virginia Beach, Virginia, U.S. | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1945–1990 |
Rank | Master chief petty officer |
Unit | U.S. Navy SEALs |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Awards | Bronze Star Defense Superior Service Medal |
Other work |
Rudolph Ernst Boesch (
Born and raised in
The oldest competitor on the inaugural
Early life
Boesch was born in
Military career
Too young to join the
The
Boesch met his future wife, Marge, at a wedding circa 1950–1951. They married in 1955 and had three daughters in the following years.[12] Meanwhile, he served in UDT Team 2 and later UDT Team 21 alongside Richard Marcinko.[7]
In 1962,
In 1968, Boesch was sent on a combat deployment to the Vietnam War, as a platoon chief based in Mỹ Tho in the Mekong Delta.[17] The general combat mission of SEALs in Vietnam was to do intelligence gathering and to conduct raids and ambushes and make prisoner grabs.[18] In Boesch's own 1995 retelling, he did all those things on that tour.[7] In the 2010 Vietnam-era memoir SEAL Warrior: The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday, Thomas Keith describes Boesch leading a platoon in nighttime ambush raids against the Viet Cong during the war, operating in the delta and using LCM-8 "Mike boats" for access.[19] Boesch earned the Bronze Star for heroic action during more than 45 combat operations.[20] Another primary mission for SEALs during the conflict was to train South Vietnamese special forces.[18] When Boesch deployed to Vietnam again, in 1970, as he later related, he was sent to Cam Ranh Bay, where he conducted training for the Liên Đoàn Người Nhái, the South Vietnamese equivalent of the UDT, as part of the so-called "Vietnamization" strategy.[7] Boesch later concluded that these allied forces were capable, but overly dependent upon the U.S., and that "Vietnamization was an idea that came too late to do enough good."[7]
Between the Vietnam deployments, Boesch trained and competed for the U.S. Navy's
During and after his stint in Vietnam, Boesch set physical and operational standards at SEAL Team Two.[23][24] With the creation of Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in 1987, its first Commander-in-chief General James J. Lindsay selected BMCM Boesch to serve as SOCOM's first Senior Enlisted Advisor.[25] Before his retirement, Boesch was designated the "Chief SEAL" (a.k.a. "Bull Frog"), a title identifying the longest-serving SEAL still on active duty.[26][note 1] Upon his retirement from the Navy on August 1, 1990, as a command master chief petty officer, he was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal.[28]
Boesch's time and character as a SEAL has been described in a number of books and other publications. Editor
Boesch was a physical training fanatic whose dog tag listed "PT" as his religion and who through the decades gained a reputation for leading grueling runs that men would look for ways to avoid by faking injuries or hiding in bushes.[24][33] In former SEAL James Watson's 1995 memoir Point Man, he states of 1964 training that, "We had to be physically fit to perform what was expected of us. And for all our trying [to get out of the runs], Rudy Boesch made sure that we stayed in condition."[24] Kevin Dockery's 2003 work Navy Seals: A History Part III – Post-Vietnam to the Present includes three different SEALs relating how, when Boesch was 50 to 57 years old, he could keep up with or surpass trainees less than half his age in five-mile runs, obstacle courses, and open sea swimming.[32] In his 2011 memoir, SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper, former SEAL Howard E. Wasdin tells of being assigned to SEAL Team TWO in the late 1980s, where Boesch, though nearly 60 years old, nevertheless ran with the trainees over an obstacle course; he then made every person who finished behind him run it again.[33] Even Boesch's physical appearance made a mark: Wasdin refers to him as an exemplar of military form;[24] another account talks of his haircut and uniform being perfect at 5 or 6 o'clock in the morning;[32] and, in 2002's One Perfect Op, former SEAL Dennis Chalker said that, among SEALs based on the U.S. East Coast in the late 1970s, the style was known as a "Rudy Boesch haircut", an even more severe version of the normal military crew cut.[34]
Overall, in his history of SEAL operations in Vietnam, former SEAL T.L. Bosiljevac writes that Boesch symbolizes much of what the SEAL teams represent and that, "There are a lot of colorful personalities among the teams, but even considering the best of those, Rudy Boesch is a legend. Everybody knows Rudy, and you can bet that Rudy knows everyone in return ... [including] some of the Navy's top brass."[35] Several of these other accounts have also referred to Boesch as a legend within the SEALs.[7][32]
Survivor
Borneo
In 2000, Boesch appeared in
Boesch found his niche in camp life cooking for his tribe, using the resourcefulness learned from his tours in Vietnam.
Going into the final immunity challenge, Rudy was the most popular player remaining in the game. Thus, he was the favorite to win the million-dollar prize provided he made it to the final Tribal Council.[40] Host Jeff Probst and the show's production staff thought Rudy was likely to win the final challenge and the game.[41] In the final challenge, competitors had to stand in the hot sun for hours while touching an idol. Richard made a strategic move to drop out of the challenge early, while Rudy fatigued himself by competing for four hours, before inadvertently dropping his hand from the idol, which led to his elimination.[40] This left 23-year-old Kelly Wiglesworth the challenge victor, and she voted Boesch out of the game as she believed she had a better chance of defeating Hatch than Boesch at the Final Tribal Council.[42][43] Despite his resentment about Hatch's move,[42] Boesch still voted for Hatch at the final tribal council, so Hatch became the first Survivor winner.[40][44]
The 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m) Boesch weakened physically during the castaway experience, losing 22 pounds (10.0 kg) off his SEALs-era weight of 185 pounds (84 kg) that he started the show with, but unlike some of the other contestants, he did not get sick.[8] He later said, "the real survival part [for me] was putting up with the young kids who were there. I don't speak their language."[30]
The summer series had become the top-rated show on American television
After the airing of the show, while praising Hatch as "forthright, trustworthy" and "humorous and kind-hearted,"[49] Boesch became publicly known for how he would always qualify his respect for Hatch with comments such as "we've become real good friends, but not in a homosexual way."[50][51] Boesch would proclaim in front of the cameras, "I wouldn't allow Hatch in my home; wouldn't allow him to meet my family"[52] and, referring to when some Green Berets came to build an obstacle course, "When them Green Berets were here, I made sure they knew Hatch was queer."[53]
Following the initial season of Survivor, there were two elements of controversy raised that involved Boesch. One was a claim from a voted-out contestant that show producer Mark Burnett had at one point influenced tribal council members to vote her out and not Rudy, because he had more appeal to viewers. This was adamantly denied by Burnett and CBS.[54][55] Another was a claim from a different cast member that Boesch had told them that he had known Burnett before the show.[54] By some accounts, Boesch had been cast by responding to a newspaper advertisement.[5][23] However, he had also previously worked in 1996 as part of the logistics team for Burnett's earlier adventure race show Eco-Challenge.[54][55] Boesch said several hundred others had also worked on the show in that capacity and that he had not known Burnett personally, and Burnett said he had not realized Boesch's earlier involvement until after Survivor had begun.[54][55]
All-Stars
In 2004, Boesch appeared in Survivor: All-Stars, set on the Pearl Islands of Panama. At age 75, Boesch was the oldest contestant ever, topping the record he set four years prior. Initially placed in the Saboga tribe, he formed an early alliance with Rupert Boneham and again drank potentially tainted water.[56] After he complained of pain from an injured ankle and the tribe lost its second straight immunity challenge, other members became concerned about his age and ability to compete. In a 3–to–2 decision, he became the second person voted off the show placing 17th.[57]
Post-Survivor fame
Boesch earned $85,000 for his third-place finish on Survivor and shared the money with his three daughters.
In February 2001, Blue Box Toys put out a 12-inch (30 cm) action figure of Boesch for its Elite Force Military History collection.[60] He was also licensed to appear in a Survivor slot machine from WMS Gaming, wherein (when it came out several years later) if you hit his bonus, it shows a clip of him from the show.[61] His book The Book of Rudy: The Wit and Wisdom of Rudy Boesch, written with the assistance of Jeff Herman, was published later in 2001 and he went on a twelve-city book tour to promote it.[62] Neither an account of his time on Survivor nor a full biography, it was instead a collection of thoughts on various subjects.[62][63]
In 2000, he appeared in the
As someone who would never consider an acting career, Boesch felt challenged with the scripted lines given to him both on JAG and Combat Missions. Citing his inability to memorize dialogue, he explained "anything over five words, I'm mumbling." He expressed that people recognized him wherever he goes, and that he was surprised his 15 minutes of fame had lasted this long.[65][67]
Later activities
Boesch's career had become known enough that mentions of him were included in novels about SEALs, including S. M. Gunn's 2004 SEALs Sub Strike: Operation Black Snow[68] and Charles Ingram's 2007 Deep Siege.[69] His uniform is on display at the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Florida, a reflection both of his record-setting service with the SEALs and his fame from Survivor.[70]
Boesch's wife of 53 years, Marge, died on November 1, 2008, following a long illness. Survivor: Gabon showed an "In Memory" dedication to Marge during its 8th episode.[71]
Boesch remained one of the most popular contestants among Survivor viewers, with a survey of them after the show's first ten seasons placing him among the top ten contestants.[46] In 2013, Survivor fan site "Survivor Oz" ranked Boesch as among the top 25 greatest players of all time, at #23.[72] In 2015, Boesch was one of three inductees into Xfinity's "Survivor Hall of Fame," alongside Jerri Manthey and Benjamin "Coach" Wade.[73] In a 2015 retrospective interview, Probst said that the first season's outcome, when the "most likable and root-worthy guy" Boesch failed to win and the villainous Hatch did, established that the game's appeal to viewers did not depend upon the personal qualities of the victor and helped explain the show's long-lasting appeal.[41]
On October 27, 2010, Boesch was one of 14 initial inductees to the Commando Hall of Honor at
By 2015, Boesch was living in a retirement community in Virginia Beach and leading his fellow residents in exercise-based activities.[78]
Filmography
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2000 | Survivor: Borneo | Contestant | Eliminated; 3rd place |
2004 | Survivor: All-Stars | Contestant | Eliminated; 17th place |
Death
By August 2019, Boesch suffered from Alzheimer's disease and required around-the-clock care. False reports of his demise surfaced on August 1, 2019, which were debunked by his family.[79] Boesch died on November 1, 2019, at age 91.[80][81]
The New York Times summarized his fame as "An ex-Navy man, he was the oldest, and probably bluntest, castaway ever to appear on CBS’s popular reality show, becoming a Season 1 fan favorite."[82]
Host Jeff Probst posted on Twitter,
"The Survivor family has lost a legend. ... He is one [of] the most iconic and adored players of all time. And he served our country as a 45-year Navy SEAL. Rudy is a true American hero."[83]
The November 6, 2019 episode of Survivor: Island of the Idols included a brief, silent screen in tribute to him at the end of the episode.
Notes
- ^ Of the Navy SEALs (known as Frogmen) on active duty, the Bull Frog is the one with the greatest amount of service since completing BUD/S training.[27]
- ^ Like almost all contestants on Survivor, Boesch was usually known to viewers by just his first name.
References
Citations
- ^ "Rudy Boesch Bio". NavySEALS.com. Retrieved May 16, 2011.
- ^ "1940 United States Census for the City of Rochester, NY". Ancestry.com. April 20, 1940.
- ^ Fernandes, Deirdre (September 2, 2003). "Who Was Your Favorite Teacher?". The Virginian-Pilot. p. E1. Retrieved August 15, 2013.(subscription required)
- ^ Boesch & Herman 2001, pp. 16–18.
- ^ a b c "NSW - Naval Special Warfare Command". United States Naval Special Warfare Command. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
- ^ a b c Tennant, Dianne (August 27, 2000). "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! His Friends Will Tell You, Our Favorite Survivor Is One of a Kind". The Virginian-Pilot. p. A1. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2013.(subscription required)
- ^ ISBN 0-688-12664-2.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bonko, Larry (September 7, 2000). "Rudy Awakening: Life Has Changed Quite a Bit for Our Favorite 'Survivor'". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.(subscription required)
- ^ Boesch & Herman 2001, pp. 58–60.
- ^ "After Action – Indianapolis, IN 2012". The U.S.S. Massey Association. Retrieved August 13, 2003.
- ISBN 978-0609607107.
- ^ Boesch & Herman 2001, pp. 24–28.
- ISBN 9780671536251.
- ^ Zimmerman, Dwight Jon (December 28, 2011). "U.S. Navy SEAL Teams from Establishment through Operation Urgent Fury: 1962-1983". Faircount Media Group. Retrieved November 16, 2013. See photo caption.
- ^ ISBN 0-89141-519-X.
- ^ Vortisch, Hans-Christian (March 9, 2007). SEALs in Vietnam: An e23 Sourcebook for GURPS (PDF). Steve Jackson Games for GURPS. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ Hinkle-Lymas, Shauntae (April–June 2012). "Navy SEALs in Vietnam" (PDF). Ethos (17). Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs Office: 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 21, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-85109-960-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-312-62803-1.
- ^ Taylor, Brock A. "Far East CPOs Embrace Heritage with 117th Birthday". United States Navy. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ "D'Andrea Wins 2-Man Contest" (PDF). Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Associated Press. February 20, 1970. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 13, 2013. Retrieved November 13, 2013.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Slavin, Erik (April 4, 2010). "A 45-year Navy career and two stints on 'Survivor' means name recognition for Boesch". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-06-156018-7.
- Military Times. January 27, 2012. Archived from the originalon September 21, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ "The Bull Frog". San Diego Reader. December 14, 2000. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- Navy.mil. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- ^ a b Tyler, Greg (October 18, 2004). "At Navy Ball, Iwakuni rolls out the red carpet for 'Survivor' contestant Boesch". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- ISBN 0-380-72966-0.
- ^ a b c d Bobbin, Jay (January 26, 2001). "'Survivor's' Rudy Boesch presents History Channel's survival guide". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 12H. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- ^ "Complete History of the U.S. Navy SEALs, The (1999)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
- ^ ISBN 0-425-19034-X. Boesch's own recollections of PT, as well as Vietnam and the SEALs in general, are on pages 162–169.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-312-69945-1.
- ISBN 0-380-80920-6.
- ISBN 0-87364-531-6.
- ^ Burnett & Dugard 2000, p. 44.
- ^ Burnett & Dugard 2000, pp. 74–76.
- ^ Burnett & Dugard 2000, pp. 79–80.
- ^ Burnett & Dugard 2000, p. 167.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-393-06243-4.
- ^ a b Wigler, Josh (May 31, 2015). "The Tribe Is Still Speaking: Jeff Probst Looks Back On 'Survivor,' 15 Years After Its Premiere". MTV News. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
- ^ a b Burnett & Dugard 2000, p. 220.
- ^ "Four years later, 'Survivor' Rudy Boesch falls once again". Reality TV World. February 6, 2004. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
- ^ a b "'Rich' emerges victorious in final 'Survivor' vote". CNN. August 24, 2000. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
- ^ Hibbert, James (December 2, 2009). "Top 10 most-watched shows of the decade". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
- ^ ISBN 0-7391-1166-3.
- ^ E! Online News.
- ^ a b Carman, John (August 30, 2000). "'Survivor's' Rudy: A lovable, cuddly old bigot". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. p. 5C.
- ^ a b "Rudy Boesch: Sexiest Survivor". People. 54 (20). November 13, 2000. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
- ^ Burnett & Dugard 2000, p. 85.
- ^ Upton, Michael A. (August 28, 2000). "Stayin' Alive". People. 54 (9). Retrieved August 12, 2013.
- ^ Burnett & Dugard 2000, p. 106.
- ^ Burnett & Dugard 2000, p. 166.
- ^ a b c d Rutenberg, Jim (June 4, 2001). "'Survivor' Suit: Test of Faith For Contestant, And Viewers". The New York Times. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
- ^ Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
- ^ Madurski, Matt (February 8, 2004). "Survivor Watch". Naperville Sun. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
- ^ "Survivor: No Rest For The Weak: Rudy Boesch Voted Out - On". Cbs.com. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
"Survivor's Rudy Gets Snuffed - CBS News Video". Cbsnews.com. June 8, 2004. Retrieved June 20, 2013. - ISBN 978-0805845532. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ "House Joint Resolution No. 588 Commending Rudolph 'Rudy' Boesch" (Press release). Virginia House of Delegates. January 19, 2001. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ a b Bonko, Larry (January 29, 2001). "'Modern Marvels' Rudy is a Doll". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2013.(subscription required)
- ^ Marino-Nachison, Dave (June 12, 2001). "Ridin' the 'Survivor' Wave". The Motley Fool. Retrieved November 17, 2013. "Survivor". WMS Gaming. Retrieved November 17, 2013. See screenshots for Rudy. SlotMachineBonus (August 8, 2012). "Survivor Slot Machine with Rudy and Coconut Spinning Streak Las Vegas Casino". YouTube. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ a b Bonko, Larry (September 30, 2001). "The Word on Rudy? He Has a New Book Out and He's Still Feisty". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2013.(subscription required)
- ^ Sullivan, Jim (October 22, 2001). "The World According to Rudy". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2013.(subscription required)
- IMDB. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
- ^ Tribune Media Services. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
- ^ a b Hodges, Ann (January 16, 2002). "Review: 'Combat Missions' brings quality to reality TV". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
Speier, Michael (January 15, 2002). "Combat Missions". Variety. Retrieved August 12, 2013. - ^ Boesch & Herman 2001, pp. 10–12.
- ISBN 0-06-009549-0.
- ISBN 978-1-84386-380-9.
- Postmedia News. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
- ^ Andy Dehnart (November 14, 2008). "Rudy's wife Marge Boesch died". Reality Blurred. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- ^ Waterworth, Ben (June 24, 2013). "Ozcars 2013: 25 Greatest Survivor Players of All Time". Survivor Oz. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
- ^ Holmes, Gordon (December 16, 2015). "Survivor Hall of Fame 2015 Inductee: Rudy Boesch". Xnfinity. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
- USSOCOM: 34.
- ^ Merriam, Elizabeth (May 22, 2007). "Third Annual Rudy Run Brings Spirit, Charity". United States Navy. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ "Rudy Boesch Bio | Premiere Motivational Speakers Bureau". Premiere Motivational Speakers. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 12, 2013.. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
Brioux, Bill (May 13, 2013). "Survivor Caramoan: A winner is crowned". Toronto Star - ^ "Former 'Survivor' contestant competes at Va. Beach adult home". The Virginian-Pilot. June 10, 2015. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- ^ McCarthy, Tyler (August 2, 2019). "'Survivor' Season 1 star Rudy Boesch's family reveals he's not dead after viral rumor". Fox News. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ^ "Rudy Boesch Dead at 91". TMZ. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ "Rudolph E. Boesch". Veteran Tributes. November 2, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ NYT story on passing
- ^ "Rudy Boesch, fan favorite on first season of "Survivor," dies at 91", CBS News, November 2, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
Sources
- Boesch, Rudy; Herman, Jeff (2001). The Book of Rudy: The Wit and Wisdom of Rudy Boesch. Avon, MA: ISBN 1-58062-613-0.
- ISBN 1-57500-143-8.
External links
- Rudy Boesch at IMDb
- Rudy Boesch biography for Survivor
- Rudolph E. Boesch Collection: Veterans History Project at American Folklife Center