World War II Honoree

Clarence Norman Andersen

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Littleton, Colorado

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Corporal. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps February 27, 1942 at Denver, Colorado, with recruit training assigned to the Tenth 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 Platoon Guide and assigned to Charlie Company, First Battalion, First Marine Regiment and First Marine 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) Operation Iceberg. On May 9, 1945 he was mortally wounded 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 Fairmount Cemetery Denver, Colorado. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Navy Cross and the Purple Heart with a Gold Star. The Navy Cross awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force, and the Purple Heart for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.