A dedication and plaque presentation Wednesday will celebrate the renaming of the Hub City Post Office in Compton in honor of the first Black Marine to receive the Medal of Honor.
Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-San Pedro, who introduced the bill to designate the post office at 101 S. Willowbrook Ave. as the Pfc. James Anderson, Jr. Post Office Building, is set to attend the 11 a.m. ceremony at the site, along with Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, Compton Mayor Emma Sharif and members of Anderson’s family
The ceremony is free and open to the public.
Anderson was born Jan. 22, 1947, in Los Angeles. He attended Carver Elementary School in Willowbrook and graduated from Centennial High School in Compton. After attending Los Angeles Harbor College for a year and a half, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in February 1966, arriving in Vietnam that December.
According to his Medal of Honor citation, on Feb. 28, 1967, Anderson’s platoon was the lead element as Company F of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division was advancing in dense jungle northwest of Cam Lo on Vietnam’s central coast in an effort to extract a heavily besieged reconnaissance patrol.
Anderson’s platoon had advanced only about 200 meters when it was brought under extremely intense enemy small-arms and automatic-weapons fire. The platoon reacted swiftly, getting on line as best it could in the thick terrain, and began returning fire.
Anderson found himself tightly bunched together with the other members of the platoon only 20 meters from the enemy positions. As the firefight continued several of the men were wounded by the deadly enemy assault. Suddenly, an enemy grenade landed in the midst of the Marines and rolled alongside Anderson’s head.
Unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his personal safety, he reached out, grasped the grenade, pulled it to his chest and curled around it as it went off. Although several Marines received shrapnel from the grenade, Anderson’s body absorbed the major force of the explosion, saving his comrades from serious injury and possible death.
Secretary of the Navy Paul R. Ignatius posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Anderson on Aug. 21, 1968, which was presented to his family. Anderson was the first Black Marine to receive the award, according to Barragán.
Anderson is buried in Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery in Compton, about 2 1/2 miles from the post office.