World War II Honoree

William H. Anderson, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Westerly, Rhode Island

Honored By

Joan Kaczneski Anderson & William, Diane, Gail, Kathleen, Michael, Sandra

Relationship

Wife & Children

SERVED AS AN AVIATOR IN THE U.S. NAVY IN THE EUROPEAN, AMERICAN AND PACIFIC THEATERS OF OPERATION DURING WWII. COMPLETED AVIATION TRAINING IN 1941. MEMBER OF VGS-29. SERVED IN MOROCCO AND RECIFE, BRAZIL. SERVED ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS SANTEE CVE-19 ESCORTING CONVOYS. VGS-29 RENAMED TORPEDO SQUADRON 29 (VT-29) FLYING AVENGER TBM AIRCRAFT. SERVED ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS CABOT CVL-28 'THE IRON WOMAN' IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. PARTICIPATED IN THE MARIANA ISLANDS AND LEYTE GULF BATTLES. AWARDED THE NAVY CROSS, DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (JUNE 13, 1944, MARIANA ISLANDS FOR HEROISM) WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, AIR MEDAL WITH TWO OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH FLEET CLASP, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH TWO BRONZE STARS, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (TWICE). RETIRED AFTER 27 YEARS OF HONORABLE SERVICE AS A COMMANDER, U.S. NAVY.