Corporal Anderson was a member of the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded in South Korea on 14 October 1952 and returned to duty on 19 November 1952. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 9 March 1953.

Anderson was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.