World War II Honoree

Edward James 'Ed' Anderson II

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Boston, Massachusetts

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

CALLED TO ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE WHILE STILL IN COLLEGE, AFTER THE JAPANESE SURPRISE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, TERRITORY OF HAWAII ON DECEMBER 7, 1941. APPLIED, AND WAS SELECTED FOR AIRCREW TRAINING IN THE AVIATION CADET PROGRAM AS A PILOT. UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF A BASIC MILITARY COURSE, PREFLIGHT NON-FLYING CIVILIAN SCHOOLING, PRIMARY, BASIC, AND ADVANCED FLYING SCHOOLS, HE WAS EARMARKED FOR FOLLOW-ON HEAVY BOMBARDMENT AIRCRAFT TRAINING, AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT. NEXT, ASSIGNED FOR TRANSITION FLYING TRAINING IN THE AIRCRAFT HE WOULD FLY IN COMBAT. DEPLOYED, AND SERVED AS A B-24 'LIBERATOR' HEAVY BOMBER PILOT OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER DURING THE WAR. FLEW 30 COMBAT MISSIONS OVER EUROPE. CONSIDERS HIS BOMBING MISSIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE D-DAY INVASION OF NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 6, 1944, AS ONE OF HIS GREATEST WARTIME ACHIEVEMENTS. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON. CONTINUED IN U.S. ARMY RESERVE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL.