World War II Honoree

James David Anderson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Omaha, Nebraska

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps December 9, 1942 at Omaha, Nebraska, with recruit training assigned to the Fourth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base San Diego, California. Upon his graduation from Boot Camp, he was transferred to Camp Pendleton Oceanside, California for combat training. Served as a Rifleman and assigned to Lima Company, Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment and First Marine ‘the Old Breed’ Division Location: Northwest Pacific Theater of Operations. His division participated in the Battle of Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands (Battle Dates: Easter Sunday, April 1–June 22, 1945) Code Name: Operation Iceberg. On June 19, 1945 he was killed in action during combat operations against the Imperial Japanese forces, with burial in the First Marine Division Battlefield Cemetery on Okinawa. Succeeding hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine requested that he be buried with Military Honors at private cemetery in Nebraska. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.