Wilford C. "Andy" Anderson

Loving husband, father, friend and World War II hero, died peacefully at home at the age of 92 in Tiburon on April 1, 2013 due to complications from a hip fracture. He is survived by his two children; Christine Mattison of San Francisco and Jeff Anderson of Texas, his three grandchildren, Courtney, Julia and Colton, three step-grandchildren, Rachel, Jessica and Katelyn, and two step-great grandchildren, Haley and Ryder. He was pre-deceased by his beloved wife of 64 years, Phyllis, and his loving son and grandson, Edward and Derek.

Andy was born on March 9, 1921 in Salt Lake City, Utah and was raised by his Norwegian mother, Julia, and sister, Thelma, in Oakland, California. In August of 1942, he left the University of California, Berkeley, hoping to enlist in World War II as a ski instructor with a special army unit that would parachute behind enemy lines. When that unit disbanded, he joined the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, and became a drill sergeant for the "Band of Brothers" training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia. Andy was deployed to the European theater as a Staff Sergeant of Company C of the 517th Parachute Infantry of the 13th Airborne Division and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery in the 1944 Battle of Anzio in Italy. His company went on to fight in the bloody "Battle of the Bulge" on Christmas Day 1944.

After the war, Andy felt that each day was a gift and lived life accordingly. He became an advertising man in the era of "Mad Men" but spent any and all free time with his loving wife, family, and lifelong college friends from U.C. Berkeley, hosting them on Phyllis's family property in La Porte, California, and traveling the world with Phyllis whenever possible.

For seventeen years, ending in 2009, Andy delighted families on Washington Street in San Francisco at the home of his daughter, Christine, and son-in-law, Stan, by carving a luminous array of artful pumpkins each Halloween.

On June 20, 2012 Andy was awarded France's highest-ranking medal of valor, the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur by consul general of France Romain Serman in a ceremony at the consul's home in San Francisco.

Andy was a friend to all who met him and an inspiration for a life well led.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to a charity of choice. Andy and Phyllis Anderson will be buried together at Arlington National Cemetery.

Published in San Francisco Chronicle on April 5, 2013.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Technical Sergeant Wilford C. Anderson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving with Company C, 517th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team, in action against enemy forces on 18 June l944, near Grosetto, Italy. In executing an attack on strongly fortified enemy positions, Sergeant Anderson's company found itself deployed by platoons along the military crest of a ridge, and receiving heavy small arms and mortar fire from the foot of the hill. Accompanied by a Private, Sergeant Anderson voluntarily moved forward into enemy resistance 200 hundred yards ahead of his platoon, captured five Germans who were part of a mortar crew, silenced a machine gun, and returned to the lines with the prisoners. Though momentarily pinned down by machine gun fire, Sergeant Anderson and his companion moved into enemy territory again and once more returned with a group of prisoners. Sergeant Anderson then proceeded to the machine gun he had previously silenced and opened fire on a group of the enemy, killing six, wounding four and silencing another active machine gun. Joining forces with the Private once more, Sergeant Anderson again crawled to the enemy lines and withdrew with four more prisoners when friendly artillery fire made his position untenable. By his courageous acts Sergeant Anderson made possible the capture of nineteen German prisoners, the killing and wounding of ten more, and acted as an inspiration to all those with whom he served. His intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplify the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.