Joseph T. Anderson

Major General Joseph T. Anderson USMC (ret) was born in Detroit, Michigan. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy with a BS in Engineering in 1968, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. After completing flight training in 1970, he first served with various Marine Corps aviation units as a pilot including VMFA-115 in the Republics of Vietnam and Thailand from June 1972 to June 1973. He then transitioned from the F-4 Phantom to the AV-8 Harrier and served with Marine Attack Squadrons VMA-231, 542, and Marine Attack Training Squadron 203 (VMAT-203). Major General Anderson's other assignments include; test pilot at Patuxent River, Maryland; Institute for Defense Analysis; AV-8 Systems and Engineering Officer, Naval Air Systems Command; Commanding Officer, Marine Attack Squadron 331, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing; and the Aviation Department, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. In 1990, Major General Anderson became the Commanding Officer, Marine Aircraft Group 13 in Yuma, Arizona. In 1992, he served as Executive Assistant to the Director of Tactical Warfare Programs in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. While serving in this capacity he was selected in December 1993 for promotion to Brigadier General. He then served as Director, Operations Division, Headquarters, Marine Corps, Washington DC, and as Vice Commander, Naval Air Systems Command, Arlington, VA. He was promoted to Major General in November 1997. He was assigned to duty as the Assistant Chief of Staff, Command, Control, Communications, Computer and Intelligence (C4I), Director of Intelligence, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, DC. He then served as Commanding General, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing until his retirement in January 2001. In addition to his B.S. degree, he earned a M.S. degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California. His formal military education includes Air Force Flight School, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and the National War College. His personal decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Navy and Marine Commendation Medal, thirteen Air Medals, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. After his military retirement, Mr. Anderson served as the Corporate Vice President of the Dalcorp Advisory Group in Ashburn, Virginia and the Associate Director of the National Air and Space Museum - Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center from 2008 to 2009.