World War II Honoree

Richard Beatty Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Agnew, Washington

Honored By

John Peterson

He entered the Marine Corps on July 6, 1942 in Oakland, California, receiving his recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. he then joined the Marine Barracks, Naval Receiving Station in San Diego in October 1942. Promoted to private first class on April 12, 1943, he was ordered to the Infantry Battalion, Training Center, Camp Elliott, San Diego, shortly afterwards. He next joined his last unit, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, and with his unit he departed from the United States in January 1944. The following month he landed in the Marshall Islands, on Roi Island. Roi Island was the first pre-war Japanese territory to fall to Marines. He was a member of the invasion force, and was hunting enemy snipers. He hurled himself on a live grenade in a shell hole to save the lives of three buddies. he was evacuated to a ship, where he died of his wounds on February 1, 1944. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart. In 1945, the United States Navy destroyer USS Richard B. Anderson (DD-786) was named in his honor.