Biography
Anderson was born in Tacoma, Washington on June 26, 1921 and was raised in Agnew, Washington. He attended Macleay School in Agnew before graduating from Sequim High School in the nearby city of Sequim. He entered the Marine Corps on July 6, 1942 in Oakland, California, receiving his recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. Private Anderson then joined the Marine Barracks, Naval Receiving Station in San Diego in October 1942. Promoted to private first class on April 12, 1943, he was ordered to the Infantry Battalion, Training Center, Camp Elliott, San Diego, shortly afterwards.
He next joined his last unit, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, and with his unit he departed from the United States in January 1944. The following month he landed in the Marshall Islands, on Roi Island. Roi Island was the first pre-war Japanese territory to fall to Marines.
PFC Anderson, a member of the invasion force, was hunting enemy snipers. He hurled himself on a live grenade in a shell hole to save the lives of three buddies though he knew death for himself was almost certain. Anderson was evacuated to a ship, where he died of his wounds on February 1, 1944. He is buried at Lot #5 Block C Section 1 #182 at the New Tacoma Cemetery, 9212 Chambers Creek Road West, Tacoma, Washington. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor — the nation's highest military decoration — and the Purple Heart.
Read more about this topic: Richard B. Anderson
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