This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SSgt Robert Bruce McClelland, Jr.
to remember
Anderson, Orvil Arson, Maj Gen USAF(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Butte, Montana
Last Address Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, Alabama
Date of Passing Aug 23, 1965
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
He was born Orvil Orson but an Army clerical error changed his middle name to Arson. As a young officer he was a pioneer in balloon flight. Later in his career he was a great combat leader in WWII and then a prolific and creative thinker in the planning of the future USAF.
His ADSM (2nd of 2) citation: Awarded for actions during World War II The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Major General Orvil Arson Anderson (AFSN: 32A/ASN: 0-11479), United States Army Air Forces, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Deputy Commander for Operations, EIGHTH Air Force, from June 1944 to April 1945. Displaying rare professional skill, General Anderson planned and supervised the operations of the Air Force during the crucial period when its mission was to maintain air superiority and supremacy over the German Air Force while simultaneously continuing the basic mission of destroying the enemy production and transportation facilities so vital to the German war machine all of which activities were designated to make possible successful ground operations with a minimum of loss. He coordinated and carefully timed the attacks against enemy airfields within striking distance of the front to cover the Allied armies crossing the Rhine, and by close cooperation with the Royal Air Force and the United States NINTH Air Force, sealed off the Ruhr by the destruction of enemy railroad bridges. The ability, foresight and astute judgment displayed by General Anderson contributed materially to the successful outcome of the campaign.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 48 (1945)
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Orvil Arson Anderson, U.S. Army Air Corps, for extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight. Captain Anderson was scientific observer of the National Geographic Society Army Air Corps Stratosphere Balloon Flight, which took of from the vicinity of Rapid City, South Dakota, July 29, 1934, and landed near Loomis, Nebraska, that same date. He assisted in piloting the balloon into the stratosphere to an altitude of 60,613 feet, and in making continuous scientific observations en route, and when the balloon became disabled through circumstances beyond human control, did attempt, under most adverse and hazardous conditions, to land successfully the disabled aircraft in order to preserve the scientific records that had been obtained. By the exercise of cool judgment and foresight under these conditions, certain scientific records were saved and the disabled aircraft was abandoned only when it was clearly evident not to do so would prove disastrous to human life.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 3 (1935)
Model Consolidated B-24J Liberator Length 67.16 ft | 20.47 m Width 110.01 ft | 33.53 m Height 18.01 ft | 5.49 m Engine(s) 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 radial piston engines generating 1,200hp. Empty Weight 36,500 lbs | 16,556 kg MTOW 65,001 lbs | 29,484 kg Max Speed 290 mph | 467 km/h | 252 kts Max Range 2,001 miles | 3,220 km Ceiling 28,002 ft | 8,535 m | 5.3 miles Climb Rate 800 ft/min (243.84 m/min) Hardpoints 0 Armament 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose assembly. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail assembly. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in upper-fuselage turret. 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in under-fuselage assembly. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left-waist fuselage position. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right-waist fuselage position.
Up to 8,800lbs of internal bombs. Accommodations 10 Operators the United States of America and the United Kingdom.
* Model 31 - Flying Boat Model whose wing assembly would become the basis for the B-24 design. * Model 32 - Base B-24 Model Series Designation. * XB-24 - Initial Prototype Model Designation fitted with R-1830-33 radial piston engines generating 1,200hp. * YB-24 - Preproduction Model Designation * B-24A - Fitted with 2 x 7.62mm tail guns, 6 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose assembly, dorsal and waist gun positions. * B-24C - Fitted with turbocharged R-1830-41 engines; 8 x 12.7mm machine guns - nose (single gun), ventral, waist (left and right), dorsal turret (two guns) and tail turret (two guns). * B-24D - Based on the B-24C model but fitted with R-1830-43 engines; later models of this series would feature the twin 12.7mm ball turret gun assembly in the ventral fuselage position; self-sealing fuel tanks; 2,381 produced. * B-24E - Modified propeller systems; 801 produced. * B-24G - Fitted with R-1830-43 engines; powered nose turret with 2 x 12.7mm machine guns. * B-24H - Improved Model with extended nose section; 3,100 produced. * B-24J - Fitted with R-1830-65 engines; improved bombsight; autopilot functionality; 6,678 produced. * B-24L - Based on B-24J model but fitted with hand-operated tail guns; 1,667 produced. * B-24M - Based on B-24J model with lighter mounting for hand-operated tail gun; 2,593 produced. * XB-24Q - General Electric Conversion Model of B-24L model fitted with radio-controlled tail turret. * B-24Q - Final Production Model Designation * B-24Q * LB-30 - Transport Variant * C-87 - Air Force Transport Variant * RY - Navy Transport Variant * C-109 - Fuel Tanking Model * F-7 - Photographic Reconnaissance Model * PB4Y-1 - Patrol Bombing Model * PB4Y-2 - Specialized Model with single vertical tail surface assembly. * GR - British Maritime Reconnaissance Model.
