Emmett Lawrence Anderson

Technical Sergeant Emmett Anderson, a longtime flying enthusiast and licensed civilian pilot, flew with Marine Observation Squadron (VMO) 251. The squadron deployed to the South Pacific in August 1942 and made is headquarters at Espiritu Santo. Missions consisted of ferry hops, combat air patrols, and the occasional photographic recon flight for which they were trained. At semi-regular intervals, pilots were detached for Temporary Aviation Duty (TAD) for “mission classified.” All hands knew this meant flying with the Cactus Air Force at Guadalcanal.

On 14 October 1942, Anderson was detached from his squadron for his turn at combat flying. One week later, he piloted F4F-4 Wildcat BuNo 2085 to intercept a flight of Japanese bombers approaching Henderson Field. The Wildcats tangled with the fighter escort, and two never returned to base: Marine Gunner Henry B. Hamilton and TSgt. Anderson.

While a surviving pilot reported seeing Hamilton bail out and drift down to the jungle behind enemy lines, there were no confirmed sightings of Anderson or his plane. To this day, the crash site has never been found. Emmett Anderson was posted as missing after the mission, and ultimately declared dead on 19 February 1945. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Master Technical Sergeant.