World War II Honoree

William R. Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Bakersville, Tennessee

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY GRADUATE AND A DECORATED WWII SUBMARINE COMBAT VETERAN, GRADUATED IN 1939 FROM THE COLUMBIA MILITARY ACADEMY IN COLUMBIA, TENNESSEE AND FROM THE NAVAL ACADEMY IN ANNAPOLIS IN 1942. IN THE NAVY, HE HAD BEEN AN ASSISTANT TO VICE ADMIRAL HYMAN G. RICKOVER, WHO LED THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR POWER FOR THE NAVY. AS A NAVAL OFFICER HE CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF THE WORLD BY SAILING THE USS NAUTILUS, THE FIRST NUCLEAR SUBMARINE, BENEATH THE NORTH POLE AND THEN SERVED FOUR TERMS IN CONGRESS. PRESIDENT EISENHOWER AWARDED HIM THE LEGION OF MERIT FOR 'FORESIGHTED PLANNING, SKILLED SEAMANSHIP AND THOROUGH STUDY OF THE ARCTIC AREA.'