Compton Post Office Renamed for Medal of Honor Recipient

The Hub City Post Office in Compton has been renamed the Pfc. James Anderson Jr. Post Office Building to honor the first Black Marine awarded the Medal of Honor. This dedication was celebrated at a ceremony attended by Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, who introduced the bill, along with Rep. Maxine Waters, Compton Mayor Emma Sharif, and Anderson's family. Anderson's heroism during the Vietnam War, where he saved fellow Marines by absorbing a grenade explosion, was highlighted during the event. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on August 21, 1968, with President Biden's recent executive order solidifying the post office's new name. Anderson, a Compton native, graduated from Centennial High School and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966. He is remembered as a local hero and his legacy will now be permanently associated with his hometown.