Richard B. Anderson
Richard Beatty Anderson was a United States Marine who sacrificed his life during World War II and received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroism.
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 participated in the invasion of Roi Island, the first pre-war Japanese territory to fall to US Forces.
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 comrades, 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.
Awards and honors
Decorations
| Medal of Honor | ||
| Purple Heart | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal | World War II Victory Medal |
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously toPRIVATE FIRST CLASS RICHARD B. ANDERSON
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
/S/ FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT