Compton renames post office after local Medal of Honor recipient

Compton will memorialize a local Medal of Honor recipient by naming a post office after him. 

U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class James Anderson posthumously received the hallowed distinction for his actions during the Vietnam War. He is the first Black Marine to receive the nation's highest award for valor.

On Feb. 28, 1967, Anderson's platoon ventured into the dense jungle near Cam Lo to rescue an encircled patrol, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The Compton native and his comrades quickly ducked for cover after receiving intense fire in the thick terrain. During the fierce firefight, an enemy grenade landed next to him and his fellow Marines. 

The deadly explosive rolled down to Anderson's head. Without hesitation, he grabbed it, pulled it into his chest and absorbed the blast — saving the men around him. More than a year later, the Secretary of the Navy presented the Medal of Honor to his family. 

Nearly 60 years later, Anderson's name will be forever associated with his hometown after President Joe Biden signed an order changing the Hub City Post Office's name to PFC James Anderson, Jr., Post Office Building.

Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, the lawmaker who introduced the bill, and her colleague Congresswoman Maxine Waters will host a dedication and plaque presentation ceremony location on Wednesday. They will stand alongside Anderson's family.

Anderson spent his childhood in Compton, graduating from Centennial High School before attending Los Angeles Harbor College to study pre-law. However, with the Vietnam War in full swing, Anderson decided to enlist in the Marine Corps in early 1966.