Richard A. Anderson

Lance Corporal Richard Allen Anderson was a United States Marine who served during the Vietnam War. Born in Washington and raised in Texas, he entered the Marine Corps in 1968. He was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam, where he served as a rifleman with Company E, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division.

On August 24, 1969, while operating in Quang Tri Province, Lance Corporal Anderson's reconnaissance patrol came under heavy enemy fire. Despite being wounded, he immediately returned fire and provided cover for his comrades. When an enemy grenade landed near his position, he courageously threw himself upon it to shield a fellow Marine, absorbing the full blast and saving the other Marine's life.

For his extraordinary heroism and self-sacrifice, Lance Corporal Anderson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration. He is remembered as a hero of the Vietnam War who gave his life for his country and his fellow Marines.