More detail on this person: Marine Corp Major
General Norman J. Anderson, 96, died September 6
at his home in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
His widow, Irene Fernandez Anderson is a native of
Northfield.
General Anderson served for a time on the Norwich
University Board of Fellows and was a frequent
visitor to Northfield after his retirement from
the Marine Corp in 1972.
A highly decorated veteran of three wars, General
Anderson was a graduate of UCLA and continued
his studies at Stanford.
Between 1942 and 1943, he saw action as a Marine
aviator in the Solomon Islands, in the Bismarck
Archipelago and Philippine campaigns. For heroism
and distinguished service during this period, he
was awarded three Distinguished Service Crosses
and seven Air Medals.
In 1941, he lent the famous ace and his close
friend, Greg "Pappy" Boyington $1,000 so that
Pappy could go to China and fight for the Flying
Tigers. It was money that General Anderson proudly
recalled "was paid back in full and on time."
In Korea, then Colonel Anderson led air cover
during the famous Inchon landing, executing close
air support tactics that characterized Marine
Air's approach to combat. For his valor in the
Korean conflict, he was awarded the Silver Star,
his fourth Distinguished Flying Cross and three
more air medals.
General Anderson was very involved in Viet Nam as
well where he earned the first of two
Distinguished Service Medals and his eleventh Air
Medal. He commanded the First Marine Air Wing at
the time of the defense at Khe Sanh during the
1968 Tet offensive. He famously defended the
Marine approach to close air support in a dispute
with General William Westmoreland, winning the
day for Marine Air's support to the battlefield.
General Westmoreland, citing his disagreement
with General Anderson, said that this was the one
point in the war where he seriously thought of
resigning.
After his retirement, General Anderson was for ten
years the Executive Director of the MacArthur
Memorial Foundation in Norfolk, Virginia. In that
capacity and later as a member of the Foundation's
Board, he helped to turn what had been a forgotten
museum into a world class memorial for one of
America's greatest warriors, Douglas MacArthur.
Throughout his career, he authored numerous
articles on close air support including "Laurels
At Low Tide," which described the Inchon landings.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, his two
sons, Norman Anderson of Fairfax, Virginia and Dr.
Kirk Anderson of Flagstaff, Arizona and four
grandchildren.
Northfield News, The (VT) - Thursday, September
17, 2009
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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