World War II Honoree

Lewis Franklin Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Camden, South Carolina

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENLISTED IN THE MILITARY ON DECEMBER 15, 1941, ABOUT 1 WEEK AFTER THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII. JOINED THE ARMY AIR FORCES AND SERVED AS A GLIDER PILOT AND FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DURING THE WAR. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER IN NORTH AFRICA, SICILY, ITALY, ENGLAND AND THE NETHERLANDS. WAS A SECOND LIEUTENANT GLIDER PILOT WITH THE 82ND AIRBORNE 'ALL AMERICAN' DIVISION CARRYING MEN AND EQUIPMENT BEHIND ENEMY LINES IN OPERATION 'MARKET GARDEN.' THAT COMBINED AIRBORNE AND GROUND ASSAULT TO CAPTURE BRIDGES OVER DUTCH WATERWAYS WAS THE LARGEST ALLIED AIRBORNE OPERATION OF THE WAR. HIS UNIT ASSAULTED BRIDGES OVER THE MAAS AND WAAL RIVERS AND ADJACENT CANALS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.