Anderson, Frederick Lewis.

Anderson, Frederick Lewis, born 04-10-1905, in Kingston, New York, entered the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1928 and advanced through the grades to Major General in 1943. He was a graduate Kelly Field and Brooks Field and received his aviator’s wings in 1929. He served in the Philippins, Hamilton Field, Lowry Field, and Washington D.C. He was transferred to bombardment avaition in 1931. He served as Operation Officer, 7^th Group and selected to start first Bombardier’s Instruction School, 1940 and was head of the bombardment tactics board. In January 1940, he graduated the following April and remained at Lowry Field as commander of the Second School Squadron, becoming director of Bombardier Instruction at the Air Corps Tactical School their in July 1940. Anderson was assigned as assistant to the Chief of the Training Section, Training and Operations Division, Office of the Chief of Air Corps, Washington D.C., becoming deputy director of bombardment there in January 1942. A year later he was appointed Commanding General of the Eight Bomber Command  in the European Theater of Operations. The successes of Bomber Command were purchased at terrible cost. Of every 100 airmen who joined Bomber Command, 45 were killed, 6 were seriously wounded, 8 became Prisoners of War, and only 41 escaped unscathed (at least physically). Of the 120.000 who served, 55.573 were killed including over 10.000 Canadians. Of those who were flying at the beginning of the war, only ten percent survived. It is a loss rate comparable only to the worst slaughter of the First World War trenches. Only the Nazi U-Boat force suffered a higher casualty rate. He was sent to England and served as representative of General, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces, Henry “Happy”Arnold

  on bombardment matters in both Northern Africa and England, 1942. The successes of Bomber Command were purchased at terrible cost. Of every 100 airmen who joined Bomber Command, 45 were killed, 6 were seriously wounded, 8 became Prisoners of War, and only 41 escaped unscathed (at least physically). Of the 120.000 who served, 55.573 were killed including over 10.000 Canadians. Of those who were flying at the beginning of the war, only ten percent survived. It is a loss rate comparable only to the worst slaughter of the First World War trenches. Only the Nazi U-Boat force suffered a higher casualty rate. On a single night, Bomber Command suffered more losses than did Fighter Command during the entire Battle of Britain.  The loss rate varied greatly as the war progressed and was considerably lower as the end of the war approached in late 1944 and early 1945. For most of the war, the majority of those who entered Bomber Command did not survive. The total losses of the United States were 420.00 men in Infantry, Airforce and Marines. Germany lost more then 7.000.000 of their population during World War II, from which 4.500.000 military deaths. Russia lost 8.700.000 soldiers and our Netherlands a total of 301.000, soldiers, resistance, population and Jewish people. Major General Anderson was Commanding General, VIII Bomber Command, England, 1943 and Deputy Commander of Operations, Headquarters, U.S. Strategic Headquarters in Europe, England, France, 1944-45. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Distinguished Flying Cross. He is rated a senior pilot and combat observer.

General Anderson died in California on 02-03-1969, at the age of 63  and was buried with full military honours on Arlington National Cemetery, Section 2 , Close by the graves of  General, Commander 92^nd “ Negro Division”, Edward “Ned” Almond, Brigade General, Assistant Commanding General 45^th Division, John Huston Church. During World War II, the 45^th Division fought in 511 days of combat. Eight soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during their service with the 45^th Infantry Division: Van T. Barfoot,