World War II Honoree

Roger Emmett Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Richmond, Vermont

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. On January 30, 1943, he was inducted into the United States Marine Corps at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His boot camp training took place with the Fifth Recruit Battalion, Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base at Parris Island, South Carolina. Later he completed his Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger, North Carolina. Served as a Rifleman with the Twenty-Second Marine Regiment in the North Pacific Theater of Operations, assigned to Echo Company, Second Battalion and Fifth Amphibious Corps. His regiment participated in the Battle of Eniwetok Atoll against the Imperial Japanese armed forces, (Battle Dates: February 17-23, 1944) Code name: Operation Hailstone, Marshall Islands Campaign. Killed in Action Tuesday, February 22, 1944 on the Island of Parry, and buried in the Coral Sands battlefield cemetery on Kirinian Island. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest at the Hope Cemetery in Barre, Vermont. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.