Richard Beatty Anderson was born on 26 June 1921 in Tacoma, Washington. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps from that state in July 1942. After recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California, he served at San Diego area Marine Corps facilities for the next year, receiving promotion to Private First Class in April 1943.
Later in 1943, Anderson transferred to Company E, Second Battalion, Twenty-Third Marines, Fourth Marine Division and departed in January 1944 for duty in the central Pacific. On 1 February 1944, he participated in battle against the Japanese on Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. While Anderson prepared to throw a grenade, it slipped from his hands and rolled towards three fellow Marines. PFC Anderson instantly dived on the weapon, taking its explosion's full impact and sacrificing his life to save his comrades. For this act of "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity", he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
USS Richard B. Anderson (DD-786), 1945-1977, was named in honor of Private First Class Richard B. Anderson.
This page features the only images we have concerning Richard B. Anderson.
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Photo #: NH 93486 Private First Class Richard B. Anderson, USMC Who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" on 1 February 1944 during action against the Japanese at Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands when he sacrificed his own life to save three fellow Marines. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 42KB; 510 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 93486-A Private First Class Richard B. Anderson, USMC Halftone reproduction of a photograph, copied from the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 150. Richard B. Anderson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" on 1 February 1944 during action against the Japanese at Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands when he sacrificed his own life to save three fellow Marines. This image is a retouched version of that seen in Photo #: NH 93486. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 41KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105674 Private First Class Richard B. Anderson, USMC Who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" on 1 February 1944 during action against the Japanese at Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands when he sacrificed his own life to save three fellow Marines. This retouched photograph was released for publication in 1944. It was received from USS Richard B. Anderson (DD-786) in 1975. Official U.S. Marine Corps Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Online Image: 40KB; 580 x 765 pixels |
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Medal of Honor citation of Private First Class Richard B. Anderson, USMC (as printed in the official publication "Medal of Honor, 1861-1949, The Navy", page 150): |
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 25 March 2008
New image added 18 April 2008