RUSTY RUSTER
1966 - 1984
CHIEF FLIGHT ENGINEER, PILOT
DEN


Rusty Ruster was a Flight Engineer at Eastern and was the head of the FE Union. 
Rusty was hired by Lew Dymond (as I was  informed by George Arwood) to start up the B-727 Ground Training Program. 
Both George and Rusty walked out of Eastern in 1961 as well as many other FE's. 
To name a few, Paul Gaily,  Joe Pattison, Sam Vascellaro, Jack Fellows, and Ralph Turner  were hired by Rusty Ruster. 
Between Leaving Eastern and coming to Frontier Rusty was an FAA Inspector domiciled in Oklahoma City.   
-Frank Meyer
(10/22/08)

See the Jun 1966 article and photo about his hiring.
-Jake Lamkins
(8/10/13)

A 737 flight standards manual in a 727 binder bearing his name
was in the Billy Walker donation of 8/26/17.
The inside cover had the name Mark Lund, S/O written on it.
-Jake Lamkins
(10/20/17)

He is pictured in the Spg 1975 FL magazine article about B-17s.
It says he is a 737 pilot and shows him as S P Rusty Ruster.
He's on the Sep 1981 seniority list but not the Sep 1985 list.
S P RUSTER
DEN 737 captain, seniority # 197
per the May 1983 Pilots Domicile List.
He is not found on the May 1984 list.
It appears he retired when he turned 60 in Mar 1984.
-Jake Lamkins
(4/5/18)

42-32097 "Slipstream" ?347th BS, 99th BG, click on the link above for more details. 
Members of the Ruster Crew that day were:
2Lt. Sherwood P. Ruster, Pilot, (1924-2009).
2Lt. Robert A. Brown, Co-pilot, KIA.
2Lt. Ward Stanley Randolph, Navigator.
Sgt. Vincent C. Manzella, Bombardier, KIA.
TSgt. Wilbur T. Massey, Top Turret Gunner.
SSgt. Walter G. Person, Radioman, KIA.
Sgt. Edward E. Davis, Right Waist Gunner, KIA.
Sgt. Roland D. Bergman, Left Waist Gunner, KIA.
Sgt. Byron C. Anton, Ball Turret Gunner, KIA.
Sgt. Robert Eugene Lary, Tail Gunner, KIA.
-https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86283595/vincent-c.-manzella
(4/16/18)

Some people still show gratitude 
By Dan Ruster Published: June 14, 2006
On Dec. 18, 1944, a B-17 bomber on a mission to Germany to bomb 
a synthetic petro-producing plant was shot down by German fighters. 
The B-17 crew had a crew of 10. 
The plane and its parts fell into the middle of a small town in Czechoslovakia. 
Three of the engines fell in the town square, the main part by the railroad tracks, 
and the bodies of seven of the 10 crew members were scattered throughout the town. 
Three of the crew parachuted out but only one, the pilot -- my father, 2nd Lt. S.P. Ruster -- survived. 
He was taken prisoner and spent the remainder of the war in a Stalag Luft 1 POW camp. 
After the war, the people of this small town erected a cross as a memorial to the crew and plane that fell out of the sky onto their town. 
For 60 years, they have preserved this monument and, two years ago, replaced it with a new permanent monument. 
The new monument is still a cross, but with words on it to show the appreciation of the town. 
Part of the inscription reads, "We will never forget the flyers that liberated us and will always remember their sacrifices for us." 
The local Boy Scouts are responsible for the upkeep of the monument. 
-http://newsok.com/article/1871386
(4/16/18)

FLacebook - FL Club
FLight West: Rusty Ruster
DEN pilot Rusty Ruster's memorial webpage is posted at
http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Rusty_Ruster.html
There are several websites on the internet about Rusty's WWII adventures.
Just google "sherwood p ruster" to take a look.
He was 20 years old when he was shot down over Germany.
Another Frontier hero!
Post your remembrances of him.
-Jake Lamkins
(4/17/18)

He was a great guy!
-George Fay  
(4/17/18)

Got to fly with Rusty and went to high school with his son Pat. 
Great family, great guys.
-Dan Albers 
(4/17/18)

Rusty was really a neat guy, good pilot & good golfer. 
Sorry to see him go!
-Bonnie Dahl 
(4/18/18)