John B. Anderson (United States Army officer)

John Benjamin Anderson
Born	March 10, 1891 Parkersburg, Iowa, United States
Died	September 1, 1976 (aged 85) Washington, D.C., United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1914–1946
Rank	Major General
Service number	0-3686
Unit	Field Artillery Branch
Commands held	1st Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment 2nd Battalion, 24th Field Artillery Regiment 102nd Infantry Division XVI Corps
Battles/wars	Pancho Villa Expedition World War I World War II
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star

Major General John Benjamin Anderson (March 10, 1891 – September 1, 1976) was a senior United States Army officer who fought in both World War I and World War II. During the latter he served as the first wartime commander of the 102nd Infantry Division and later commanded XVI Corps during the final stages of the war in Europe.^[1]

Early life and military career[]

John Benjamin Anderson was born on March 10, 1891 in Parkersburg, Iowa, to Danish immigrants Carl Christian Anderson and Louisa (Simonsen) Anderson.^[2] John Benjamin was the youngest of seven children. After graduating from Parkersburg High School in 1910, Anderson attended the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York and graduated on June 12, 1914, shortly before World War I broke out in Europe.^[3] Anderson was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Field Artillery Branch of the United States Army on that date.^[4] Many of his classmates who he graduated alongside later became general officers during World War II or afterwards, such as Carl Spaatz, Brehon B. Somervell, Frank W. Milburn, Harold R. Bull, Vicente Lim, Harry C. Ingles, Jens A. Doe, Robert W. Crawford, Ralph Royce, Orlando Ward, Harold Francis Loomis, Charles P. Gross, and James L. Bradley.^[5]

Anderson was subsequently assigned to the 6th Field Artillery Regiment and transferred to El Paso, Texas with his unit, where John served on the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa Expedition in 1916. John was there upon the American entry into World War I, which occurred on April 6, 1917, with the United States declaring war on Germany.

During the war, Anderson was sent, with the 6th Field Artillery Regiment, part of the newly created 1st Division, to the Western Front, where he served as a regimental adjutant in the Somme sector, scene of much bitter fighting the year before, in France in October and November 1917. In the spring of 1918, Anderson served with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) at Ypres, Belgium and subsequently he was appointed adjutant of the . Later, Anderson was transferred back to his 6th Artillery Regiment, where he served as battery commander and commanded a battalion of the 6th Field Artillery Regiment during the Battle of Cantigny.^[6] John served in this capacity for the remainder of the war, which came to an end with the signing of the Armistice with Germany on November 11, 1918.

Between the wars[]

After brief occupation duties, John Benjamin Anderson returned to the United States in 1919 and was posted to the Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where John was appointed instructor at the local U.S. Army Field Artillery School. John also attended the Advanced Course at this institution during the years 1922 and 1923.^[6]

John Benjamin Anderson attended the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas in June 1925 and subsequently served as a battalion commander of the 24th Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Stotsenburg, Philippines until July 1927.

From September 1927 to June 1928 John Benjamin Anderson studied at the U.S. Army War College in Washington, D.C. and then John was assigned to the personal division of the War Department General Staff. In this capacity, John was sent to the Geneva, Switzerland in 1929 as one of the U.S. Army representatives to the conference regarding the treatment of prisoners of war.

John was transferred to the 13th Field Artillery Regiment stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and served there until September 1934. John was subsequently appointed the instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in this capacity.^[1]

In July 1938, towards the end of the interwar period, John Benjamin Anderson was transferred to the staff of the Office of the Chief of Artillery in Washington, D.C., where Jon was appointed Chief of Personnel Section. In this capacity, John Benjamin Anderson was promoted to the one-star general officer rank of brigadier general at the end of October 1941, shortly before the United States entered World War II.^[6]

World War II[]

British Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery talking with Lieutenant General William Simpson and Major General John B. Anderson. Behind are General Omar Bradley and British Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, March 25, 1945.

A month later, John was appointed Chief Artillery officer of the 2nd Infantry Division (Indianhead), which was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The division was then under the command of Major General John C. H. Lee. On August 4, 1942, eighth months after the American entry into World War II, John Benjamin Anderson was promoted to the two-star general officer rank of major general.^[3]

On September 15, the 102nd Infantry Division was activated at Camp Maxey, Texas and recently promoted Major General John Benjamin Anderson was appointed as the division's first Commanding General (CG).^[3] John Benjamin Anderson participated in the training with his division and served with it until December 1943, before handing over command of the 102nd to Major General Frank Keating.

The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill (center), crosses the River Rhine to the east bank, south of Wesel, in an American Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (or Higgins boat) with Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery (left of Churchill), who is talking to U.S. Lieutenant General William H. Simpson, Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke (furthest right) who is standing in front of U.S. Major General Leland Hobbs. To Simpson's right is Major General John B. Anderson, who is talking to Major General Ira T. Wyche. Picture taken on 25 March 1945.

In December 1943, the XVI Corps was activated at Fort Riley, Kansas and John Benjamin Anderson assumed command in early January 1944.^[3][1] XVI Corps participated in the winter training exercises at Watersmeet Township, Michigan and subsequently it was later deployed in the European Theater of Operations (ETO).

John Benjamin Anderson commanded the XVI Corps on the Western Front as part of the U.S. Ninth Army in the Rhineland Campaign and also in the Central Europe Campaign. XVI Corps under John Benjamin Anderson's command liberated the Dutch city of Roermond and participated in the combats in the Ruhr Pocket.

John Benjamin Anderson was decorated for his leadership with the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Bronze Star by the United States government.^[7] John Benjamin Anderson also received some foreign decorations (see below).^[6]

Postwar[]

The grave of Major General John B. Anderson at Arlington National Cemetery.

On June 6, 1945, the city of Roermond, Netherlands held a victory celebration during which they honored General John Benjamin Anderson and members of the XVI corps for liberating the city. As part of the celebration, the city renamed one of its major roads "Andersonweg" (Anderson Street). A plaque was placed on a prominent building to commemorate the event.^[8]

John Benjamin Anderson was succeeded in the command of XVI Corps by Major General in October 1945 and John subsequently returned to the United States. John retired from the army the following year, on June 30, 1946, after a 33-year military career, due to a disability.

John Benjamin Anderson died on September 1, 1976, at the age of 85 in Washington, D.C. and is buried, together with his wife, Sue Palmer Anderson (1901–1991), at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.^[9]

Decorations[]

Anderson's ribbon bar:^[7][3][6]

References[]

External links[]

• Generals of World War II
• United States Army Officers 1939–1945