Anderson, Lawrence Donald
ANDERSON, GUIDER
Posted By: Nettie Mae (email)
Date: 5/22/2025 at 08:39:48
**Lawrence Donald “Bud” Anderson (1918–1941): A Life of Promise Cut Short at Pearl Harbor**
Lawrence Donald Anderson, affectionately known as “Bud” by family and friends, was born on August 21, 1918, the beloved son of August Rudolph Anderson and Mabel L. Guider. Raised in the rolling hills and small towns of northeastern Iowa, Lawrence’s early life was rooted in Midwestern values of hard work, service, and family.
In the 1925 Iowa State Census, a young Laurence, just six years old, was living in Randalia, Fayette County with his father August, a testament to a childhood shaped by rural simplicity and community life. By 1930, the Anderson family had moved to Makee, Allamakee County, Iowa, where Lawrence, age 11, continued to grow and thrive. In the 1940 U.S. Census, Lawrence was recorded as a 21-year-old living with his father in Waukon, Allamakee County. He was listed as single and still residing at home—a detail that reflects the strong familial bonds of the time and the economic realities of the Great Depression era.
Lawrence's academic promise and sense of duty led him to enlist in the United States Naval Reserve. In December 1940, he was admitted to the Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School at Northwestern University, a rigorous training program designed to prepare young men for leadership roles in the U.S. Navy. By May 1941, having attained the rank of Ensign, Lawrence joined the crew of the USS *Arizona*—a ship whose name would soon be etched into American memory forever.
### The USS *Arizona* and the Attack on Pearl Harbor
The USS *Arizona* (BB-39), a Pennsylvania-class battleship commissioned in 1916, had long been a symbol of American naval strength. By 1941, she was anchored at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, as part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. On the morning of December 7, 1941, Japanese forces launched a surprise military strike on the harbor—a calculated attempt to neutralize the American Pacific Fleet and give Japan free rein in the Pacific.
Shortly before 8:00 a.m., waves of Japanese aircraft descended upon the harbor, unleashing bombs and torpedoes with devastating precision. The *Arizona* was struck by several bombs, including a catastrophic hit that detonated her forward ammunition magazines. The ship exploded in a massive fireball and sank quickly, taking with her 1,177 of her crew—nearly half of all American servicemen killed in the attack.
Among those lost that day was Ensign Lawrence Donald Anderson, just 23 years old. He had only recently begun his service aboard the *Arizona*, full of promise and committed to the defense of his country.
### Honoring a Hero’s Legacy
Ensign Anderson’s death was part of a moment that forever altered the course of American history, propelling the United States into World War II. Though his life was cut tragically short, Lawrence’s commitment to duty and country exemplified the highest ideals of service.
Lawrence was brought home to Iowa and laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Waukon, Allamakee County—a quiet, sacred ground far from the thunder of war, where family and fellow citizens could honor his sacrifice. His headstone stands today as a solemn reminder of a young man whose life and death became a part of the American story.
### Sources and Records
Lawrence’s life is well-documented through U.S. and Iowa census records (1925, 1930, 1940), as well as through military and burial documentation. His grave is maintained and memorialized on Find A Grave, where he is honored by the community and remembered by future generations.
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**"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." — John 15:13**
Lawrence Donald “Bud” Anderson did not live to see the end of the war he died in, but his memory endures—in the quiet towns of Iowa, in the hallowed waters of Pearl Harbor, and in the enduring gratitude of a nation he helped defend.
Lawrence Donald Anderson
Allamakee Biographies maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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