Giving a Hero a Face

As a historian, you can sometimes be surprised by history. The photograph below is one of such surprises for me, which shows Mack B. Anderson (16 March 1920 – 20 May 1974) of the 823rd Engineer Aviation Battalion. In this article, I will explain why this photograph is so significant.

Photograph of Mack B. Anderson of the 823rd Engineer Aviation Battalion. (Public Domain)

Personal history

A bit of personal history, but in 2019 I tried to discover more about heroic Black Americans during the Second World War. Accounts of bravery by Black Americans at and behind the frontlines exist and a few stories are widely available, but I wanted to go beyond them. It’s important to note that many Black Americans served in support units and were less likely to experience combat due to their roles. However, danger wasn’t exclusive to the battlefield. Threats could arise unexpectedly, not just from enemy forces but also from hazardous weather or accidents. In Mack B. Anderson’s case, the danger came in the form of bullets fired with hostile intent.

An Imperial Japanese zero taking off. (Public Domain)

Silver Star Medal

On 25 October 1942, Mack Anderson was stationed at an airfield near Assam when it was attacked by a flight of 18 Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft. While his comrades sought cover, Mack single-handedly manned a .30 machine gun and fired at the fighters. Several times the Zero’s swooped down and strafed Anderson, but he avoided being hit. Eventually, his gun jammed and Anderson ran over to a trench. Once inside the trench, he took out his .45 pistol and continued to fire at the Japanese aircraft. For his heroism, after the attack, he would receive the Silver Star Medal.

The newspaper article tells about how Mack B. Anderson earned the Silver Star Medal. (The Southern News, 27 February 1943)

Transient Glory

Now, Mack Anderson’s valor was widely celebrated in the Black American press. The fact that he earned Silver Star, as well as his name and face, were printed in several newspapers throughout the nation. He served as an example. This was caried over into history books, where Anderson is likewise mentioned, such as in The Exclusion of Black Soldiers from the Medal of Honor in World War II, by Elliot V. Converse et al., where on page 154 a short paragraph is dedicated to Anderson. Likewise, in The Employment of Negro Troops by Ulysses Lee also writes about Anderson, although he doesn’t mention him by name when he writes on page 457: ‘From India came the report that though no other Negro units in the theater had been under fire, the conduct of the 823d Engineer Aviation Battalion under hazardous conditions of combat during Japanese raids on Assam in October 1942 was "magnificent." After the strafing, these engineers returned to their work promptly and began airfield repairs at once. One member of the unit received the Silver Star for action under fire during these raids.’ It’s intriguing that despite these mentions, Anderson’s story has largely been forgotten. For example, in Brenham, Texas, few people seem to be aware of his story.

Various Black American heroes and the awards they have received. Anderson is mentioned on the right half of the page (Jackson Advocate, 27 November 1943)

Another dimension

While, indeed, Anderson’s story has been preserved in certain books, we can now add a photograph to this story. It adds another dimension to the story, we can add a face to the hero who won the medals. Photographs like this are invaluable. While many photographs exist of battles and movements, this image captures the likeliness of an ‘ordinary’ American who did extraordinary things. It’s a visual representation that is much more appealing to people. It might even inspire some to look up more about the historical context surrounding the image. Lastly, photographs help preserve the memory of a specific event in the past, because images are more effective than remembering events from just words alone. In this case, it’s the history of Mack B. Anderson and how he won the Silver Star Medal for his heroic conduct under fire.