Southland Reps. Maxine Waters (CA-43) and Nanette Barragan (CA–44) recently hosted a ceremony recently and dedication to Private First Class James Anderson, Jr., for whom the Compton, California facility of the United States Post office, located at 101 South Willowbrook Ave. has been renamed.
Anderson (Jan. 22, 1947 – Feb. 28, 1967), a graduate of Centennial High School in Compton, was a United States Marine, serving in Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism while serving in Vietnam in February 1967. When his Medal of Honor was awarded on August 21, 1968, he became the first African American U.S. Marine recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Volunteering to join the U. S. Marine Corps in 1966, Anderson took part in Operation Prairie II. During this operation, his platoon was advancing through the jungle near Cam Lo Combat Base, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam when they were ambushed by North Vietnamese forces. Anderson jumped on a grenade thrown by a Vietnamese soldier and was killed in action. He was 20 years old. This action saved the lives of the other Marines in his squad, and Anderson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and a Purple Heart for his unselfish deed.
The list of Private First Class Anderson’s medals and decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, the Vietnamese Military Merit Medal, the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Anderson was interred at Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson.
Reps. Waters and Barragan were joined by Compton Mayor Emma Sharif and members of Anderson’s family.
Compton Post Office will recognize heroic soldier
Pvt. First Class James Anderson Jr.
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The gallant martyrdom of Americans like Pfc Anderson provides, especially during Election Time and when the gloom and doomers babble about their negativity and defeatism, a few important reminders and lessons to the rest of us. One, we should never complain, be angry or be bitter about aging. Became many never got the chance. Anderson would have turned 77 in 2024. Second, that racism doesn’t count over courage, sacrifice and loyalty to one’s buddies. Third, that registering to vote, voting or running for political office always has and always will be important. Too many generations of Americans have fought, suffered, bled and died fighting tyranny over the centuries in the United States, military and civilian alike. On foreign shores, at sea, in the skies and even in the States itself. Today, this election year, we voters have a choice–democracy, freedom and justice? Or dictatorship? We must vote to save this nation of ours. It’s the best way to honor those men and women who gave their all to save our liberty and us.