The only U.S. fatality by enemy fire during the Cuban Missile Crisis

Rudolf Anderson Jr. didn't just fly the U-2; he was the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing's top pilot. He had over one thousand hours on the aircraft and was a vital part of the United States' reconnaissance operation over Cuba in late October of 1962. He was a local kid from Greenville - an Eagle Scout and a textile engineer - who ended up as a major in the Air Force.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Anderson and his wing were tasked with finding out what the Soviets were up to. He flew a U-2F Dragon Lady - a former CIA plane repainted with USAF markings - out of McCoy Air Force Base in Florida. On October 27, he took off for his sixth mission over Cuba.

The missile hit his plane over Banes, Cuba. The explosion sprayed shrapnel through his helmet and pressure suit. He died either instantly or within seconds from depressurization and loss of oxygen. He became the only American killed by enemy fire during the entire crisis.

President Kennedy eventually awarded him the Air Force Cross, the second-highest award for valor in the service. Today, you can find his memorial here in Greenville. It stands as a reminder of a man who did his job and happened to find himself in the middle of a global standoff.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons