Rude (pronounced ROO - dee) was born in Sharps, Virginia, on September 13, 1881, and received his education at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland.

In 1907, he began an eight-year tour as commanding officer of the survey ship USC&GS Taku in the Territory of Alaska.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, he was transferred to the United States Navy, serving first as commanding officer of USS Isis—the former USC&GS Isis, temporarily in U.S. Navy service in the New York City area as a cruiser squadron flagship—and then as navigating officer on the troop transport USS Mercury (ID-3012).

Rude was transferred back to the Coast and Geodetic Survey in March 1919 and became Chief of what was then the Section of Tides and Currents, which under his guidance soon was upgraded to a division.

From August 1928 to March 1931, Rude was inspector of construction of the Coast and Geodetic survey ship USC&GS Hydrographer, which he delivered to Washington, D.C. in April 1931.