World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Alvin V. 'Spider' Anderson
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Pateros, Washington
Honored By
Anderson Family & Lt. Col. Charles T. Borg, USA (Ret)
JOINED THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE ON OCTOBER 1, 1940. COMMISSIONED A FLIGHT LIEUTENANT AND FLEW AS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN VARIOUS AIRCRAFT AT A NUMBER OF TRAINING SCHOOL STATIONS IN CANADA. ROSE TO THE RANK OF GROUP CAPTAIN BEFORE HIS TRANSFER ON MAY 29, 1942 TO THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS. UPON COMMISSIONING AS A CAPTAIN, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ARMY FLYING SCHOOL AT VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA AND AFTER FLIGHT TRAINING HE ASSUMED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DUTIES. HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE 391ST BOMB GROUP AT MCDILL FIELD, TAMPA, FLORIDA. THERE HE WAS OPERATIONS OFFICER AND FLEW AS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN THE B-26 MARAUDER AND LATER AS AN INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN THE B-24 LIBERATOR. HE WAS DISCHARGED ON JULY 7, 1945 HOLDING THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. HIS AWARDS AND DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL.