Earl Anderson was born on 24 June 1919 in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. He was married to Jane. He died on 12 November 2015 in Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
General Anderson was a former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps from March 31, 1972, to June 30, 1975, and when promoted to four-star rank in 1972, he was the youngest Marine promoted to that rank and the first active duty aviator.