World War II Honoree

Samuel Egbert Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Greensboro, North Carolina

Honored By

Owen Anderson

Relationship

Great Nephew

COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE SIXTH PURSUIT SQUADRON. IN NOVEMBER 1940, WAS DESIGNED WING S-3, PLANS AND TRAINING OFFICER, 18TH COMPOSITE WING. RETURNING TO LANGLEY FIELD, VIRGINIA IN MAY 1941, HE SERVED IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES UNTIL OCTOBER 1941 WHEN HE TRANSFERRED TO THE OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEF AIR STAFF, HEADQUARTERS AIR FORCE, WASHINGTON D.C. ANDERSON'S NEXT ASSIGNMENT WAS WITH THE OPERATIONS DIVISION, WAR DEPARTMENT GENERAL STAFF, WASHINGTON, D.C. WHERE HE SERVED FROM MARCH 1942 UNTIL MAY 1943. DURING THIS PERIOD, HE SAW COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC THEATER, AND IN JUNE 1942 WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR 'FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION IN THE VICINITY OF PORT MORESBY IN SALAMAUA, NEW GUINEA.' TRANSFERRING TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS IN MAY 1943 AS ADMINISTRATIVE INSPECTOR OF THE THIRD BOMBARDMENT WING (MEDIUM), HE ASSUMED COMMAND OF THE ORGANIZATION JULY 12. TWO MONTHS LATER, HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS 'FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT WHILE LEADING HIS MEDIUM BOMBARDMENT WING ON TWO COMBAT MISSIONS OVER ENEMY-OCCUPIED EUROPE ON 16 JULY AND 2 AUGUST 1943.' IN OCTOBER 1943, GENERAL ANDERSON WAS DESIGNATED COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE NINTH BOMBER COMMAND (MEDIUM) OF THE NINTH AIR FORCE. DURING HIS EUROPEAN THEATER TOUR OF DUTY, GENERAL ANDERSON HEADED VARIOUS GROUPS AND COMMANDED THE NINTH BOMBER COMMAND (MEDIUM). DURING HIS TIME AS COMMANDER, 10 OF THE 11 GROUPS IN HIS COMMAND WERE AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION. RETURNING TO THE UNITED STATES IN MAY 1945, GENERAL ANDERSON BECAME CHIEF OF STAFF, CONTINENTAL AIR FORCE, BOLLING FIELD, WASHINGTON, D.C. IN JUNE 1945, HE WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL FOR UNUSUAL ABILITY AND CONSPICUOUS TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY IN ACTIVATING, DEVELOPING, TRAINING AND DIRECTING THE OPERATIONS OF THE NINTH BOMBARDMENT DIVISION (MEDIUM) DURING THE PERIOD OF JULY 1943 TO DECEMBER 1944 WHILE SERVING AS COMMANDING GENERAL.