World War II Honoree

Roy L. Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Konowa, Oklahoma

Honored By

OAMC, ROTC Class of 1943

SERVED IN THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS AT OKLAHOMA A&M COLLEGE AT STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA FROM SEPTEMBER 1940 TO APRIL 5, 1943. SIMULTANEOUSLY SERVED AS A PRIVATE IN THE ENLISTED RESERVE CORPS WITH THE 1875TH SERVICE UNIT FROM JULY 1942 TO APRIL 5, 1943. INDUCTED AND CALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY ON APRIL 6, 1943. REPORTED TO THE RECEPTION CENTER, FORT SILL, AT LAWTON, OKLAHOMA ON APRIL 12, 1943. ASSIGNED TO OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL AT FORT BENNING, AT COLUMBUS, GEORGIA DURING THE SUMMER OF 1943. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN SEPTEMBER 1943 WITH THE RANK OF CORPORAL TO ACCEPT AN APPOINTMENT AS AN OFFICER. GRADUATED AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE INFANTRY IN SEPTEMBER 1943. ASSIGNED TO THE 335TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 84TH INFANTRY ‘RAILSPLITTERS’ DIVISION AT CAMP CLAIBORNE, AT ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA BEGINNING NOVEMBER 17, 1943. STAGED AT CAMP KILMER, STELTON, NEW JERSEY WITH HIS REGIMENT ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1944 AWAITING OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT. SAILED FROM THE NEW YORK PORT OF EMBARKATION ON SEPTEMBER 29 AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND ON OCTOBER 10, 1944. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AND PARTICIPATED IN THE RHINELAND CAMPAIGN. LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE ON NOVEMBER 4, 1944. MOVED WITH HIS UNIT TO GULPEN IN THE NETHERLANDS AND PREPARED FOR COMBAT OPERATIONS. ATTACHED TO THE 30TH INFANTRY ‘OLD HICKORY’ DIVISION ON NOVEMBER 11 AND TOOK PART IN OPERATIONS IN THE WUERSELEN AREA NEAR AACHEN, GERMANY. ATTACHED TO THE 2ND ARMORED DIVISION ON NOVEMBER 22 TO ASSIST IN THE BATTLE FOR MERZENHAUSEN, NORTHEAST OF AACHEN. FOUGHT IN HEAVY RAIN TO SECURE THEIR OBJECTIVES. ATTACHED TO THE 102ND INFANTRY ‘OZARK’ DIVISION ON NOVEMBER 24 AND ASSUMED DEFENSIVE POSITIONS ALONG THE WURM RIVER NEAR WAURICHEN, GERMANY EAST OF BRUNSSUM, NETHERLANDS. REJOINED HIS DIVISION IN TIME FOR THE DRIVE TO THE ROER RIVER ON NOVEMBER 29, 1944. HIS UNIT TOOK THE TOWN OF LINDERN THAT DAY AND HELD IT AGAINST DETERMINED GERMAN COUNTERATTACKS. THE FOLLOWING DAY, HE LED HIS UNIT TO TAKE THE TOWN OF BEECK. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON DECEMBER 1, 1944. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH BRONZE SERVICE STAR, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.