Earl E. Anderson

Ret. General Earl E. Anderson, the youngest active duty Marine ever promoted to the rank of General and the first active duty Marine Naval Aviator to be promoted to a 4-star rank, became Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps on April 1, 1972. He was promoted to General on March, 31, 1972.

During his 35-year Marine career he has served in combat actions in WW II, Korea, and the Republic of Vietnam.

General Anderson entered West Virginia University, and graduated in 1940 after earning a bachelor of science degree. In June 1940, he was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant and reported to Philadelphia, Pa. for Basic School.

Upon graduation from Basic School, in February 1941, he was ordered to Sea School, Marine Barracks, Portsmouth, Va., where he served as an instructor. He remained in that assignment until May, when he received assignment to the USS YORKTOWN, which was operating with the Atlantic Patrol.

With the outbreak of World War II, General Anderson and the USS YORKTOWN were transferred to the pacific where they participated in the Marshall Gilbert Campaign, the Salamaua Lae Raid, and the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. He was serving on the Yorktown when it was sunk during the Battle of Midway. During this period of time he was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1941 and captain in May 1942.

Following his rescue from the USS YORKTOWN, Captain Anderson was returned to the U.S. where he served briefly with Marine Corps Base San Diego, CA, and then with the 2nd Marine Division.

He was ordered to flight training at Naval Air Station, Dallas, Texas, in the spring of 1943. He was promoted to major in May 1943, and was awarded the gold wings of a Naval Aviator at Pensacola, Fla., in October 1943. His next assignment was as a flight instructor at MCAS Edenton, NC. He remained there until Dec 1944, when he returned to duty in the Pacific Area and assumed command of Marine Bomber Squadron 443. He later served as the XO, MAG-61 in the consolidation of the Northern Solomons and in the Philippines.

In November 1945, General Anderson returned to the U.S. where he served in a wide variety of post-war assignments which included the 2nd MAW; student at the Command and Staff School, Marine Corps Schools (MCS), Quantico, Va.; Administration Officer, Division of Aviation, HQMC, Administration Assistant to the Assistant Commandant for Air, HQMC.

He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in July 1949, and assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General, where he served in various branches while a post-graduate student at George Washington Law School.

In the summer of 1952, General Anderson was next ordered to Aircraft, FMF Pacific, where he served as the Executive Officer for MAG-I 6 until the spring of 1953 when he was ordered to Korea.

In Korea, General Anderson was the Commanding Officer, Marine Observation Squadron 6, and later became the Assistant C/S G-I, 1st MAW.

Upon his return to the U.S. he was assigned as the Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of MAG-26.

During May 1956, General Anderson was assigned to MCS, Quantico, Va., where he served first as an instructor, then Chief of the Air Section, Marine Corps Educational Center.

He was promoted to colonel in October 1957, and during the summer of 1959, was ordered to the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. He graduated in Jun 1960, and was ordered to the 3d MAW where he served as the Staff Legal Officer until July 1961. He then assumed command of MAG-36, Santa Ana, Calif., where his group participated in more than 13 separate amphibious and field exercises.

In June 1963 he became C/S, Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG), Vietnam and served in that capacity until the summer of 1964, when he returned to the U.S. For his service with the MAAG, he was awarded a Legion of Merit, and gold stars in lieu of his 7th and 8th Air Medals.

In the late summer of 1964, General Anderson became the first Program Coordinator for the Marine Tactical Data System, the largest R&D effort in USMC history. He was promoted to brigadier general on January 3, 1966, and in February he assumed duty as DC/S (RD&S), HQMC, the first aviator to be assigned that position. He also continued as the Marine Corps Tactical Data System Program Coordinator. For that duty he was awarded a gold star in lieu of a 2d Legion of Merit.

In December 1967, he returned to the Far East where he assumed duty as the C/S III MAF--Republic of Vietnam. He held that assignment until January 1969 and for his service was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal. He also was awarded a National Order of Vietnam (5th Class), the Vietnamese Army Distinguished Service Medal, a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and a Korean Chungmu Medal. While serving in Vietnam he was promoted to major general on September 1, 1968.

Upon his return to the U.S. he reported to HQMC where he served briefly as Special Assistant to the C/S. In March 1969, he was reassigned as Deputy Director, Personnel HQMC and the Head of the Personnel Department, the first aviator to be assigned to those billets.

In 1970 he was appointed as the USMC member on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and in Mar 1971, was designated by the Secretary of Defense as the U.S. member of the Executive Committee of the Counsel International du Sports Militaire. In 1974 he was elected by the General Assembly to be the first Vice President. He served as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Armed Forces Relief and Benefit Association from 1972 to 1975.

He was promoted to lieutenant general in June 1971, and assumed duty as Commanding General FMFLant, Norfolk, Va. in July 1971.

In addition to his bachelor of science and master of arts degrees, General Anderson is also the recipient of a Juris Doctor: degree in law with highest honors from George Washington University (GWU). While attending, he won the first Law Review competition for writing the best law review article among second year students. In his final year, he served as editor in chief of the GWU Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. In November 1974, General Anderson received the highest honor the GWU Law Association can bestow. He received the Association's Distinguished Alumnus Award. He is also the recipient of Honorary Doctors of Law degrees from Thiel College and West Virginia University. He is a member of West Virginia University's Academy of Distinguished Alumni and the Order of Vandalia.

He is a member of the Bar of the State of California and the District of Columbia, and is entitled to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Supreme Court.

General Anderson is also a member of the State of California and the District of Columbia Bar Associations, and the American Bar Association.

In 1973, the State of West Virginia chose General Anderson as the Son of the Year. He served on the Executive Council of the West Virginia University Alumni Council from 1971 to 1978, and was President of the Association from 1976 to 1977. He was also the President of the Leatherneck Association.

General Andersons awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with gold stars in lieu of second and third awards; Legion of Merit with combat "V" and two gold stars in lieu of second and third awards; Distinguished Flying Cross with one gold star in lieu of second award; Bronze Star with combat "V"; an Air Medal with one silver star and two gold stars in lieu of second through eighth award; Purple Heart; Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze star; Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze star; American Defense Service Medal with fleet clasp; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with four bronze stars; WW II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal with onebronze star; Korean Service Medal with one bronze star; Vietnam Service Medal with one silver and one bronze star; National Order of Vietnam Medal (5th Class); Vietnamese Distinguished Service Order Medal (1st Class); Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm; Korean Chungmu Medal; French Youth and Sports Medal; Zaire National Order of Merit -Order of Commander; United Nations Service Medal; Philippine Liberation Ribbon; Korean Presidential Unit Citation; Vietnamese Meritorious Unit Citation; and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device.

Reference

Information taken off the US Marine Corp's official biography website. http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf