Harry B. “Hunk” Anderson, an Aberdeen, Maryland resident for over sixty years, died at OakCrestVillage, Parkville, Maryland, where he resided for the past eleven years.
He is survived by his wife, LaRue G. Anderson, his children; Terri Ward and her husband Lewis of Havre de Grace, Maryland, Jonell Hook and her husband Bruce of Sherwood Forest, Maryland, Holly Thompson and her husband Timothy of Glen Arm, Maryland. Also survived by his seven grandchildren, one great grandchild, a sister, Allie Cullen of Aberdeen, MD, and a brother U.S. Anderson of Jacksonville, Florida.
He was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas in 1917 and attended school at Arkansas Tech and QuachitaUniversities. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and did graduate work in the field of propellants and Explosives at the University of Arkansas and JohnHopkinsUniversity.
In the late 1930’s he served as a member of the Arkansas National Guard with eh 206th Coast Artillery.
Shortly after college, he accepted employment with the U.S. Army at Southwestern Proving Ground, Hope, Arkansas. In 1942 he was transferred to Aberdeen Proving Ground where he remained until retirement in 1977.
While at Aberdeen Proving Ground he has 35 years experience in Ordnance Testing. Most of this time was spent at the Material Test Directorate where he achieved reputation as an expert in Propellant and Explosives. He was involved in the design, development and evaluation of military ordnance, some of it Naval and as a leader in Solid and Liquid propellants pertaining to exterior and interior ballistics.
After World War II, he was selected to represent the U.S. Army in Europe in assisting overseeing the Weaponry phases included in the United States “Marshall Plan”. This meant working in a dual capacity with the various NATO countries to evaluate their design and ammunition performance. He was also selected to represent the United States in the ABC (America, British, Canada and Australia) group concerning standardization activities of gun ammunition systems. He was active with the TRI Service Group (Army, Navy, Air force) for developing common procedures to be used for packaging of ammunition.
During his career, he authored a series of Technical Reports and Studies for the United States and foreign countries. He was responsible for the Army’s calibration system for Artillery, Tank, Mortar, and Recoilless Systems. This program was designed to control ballistics performance for all weapon systems both in the United States and overseas operation.
Upon leaving the Proving Ground he was employed as a consultant for ten years with the Test and Evaluation International Company. While with this company he was heavily involved on programs dealing Ordnance testing in the United States as well as with various foreign countries. He was the lead Engineer on the expansion and streamlining projects at the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant located in Nevada.
In his earlier years he was well known in the Arkansas sports field. While attending college he participated in semi-pro baseball and in 1940 and 1941 he was selected as an all-conference player both years by Southwestern Sports Writers for his outstanding football performance.
After arriving in Aberdeen he became very active in sports activities, including coaching and the planning for Aberdeen’s first football team. Later he worked in organizing local youth football activities. He enjoyed golf and played for many years on the APG and Oak Crest Village Golf Teams.
He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church of Aberdeen and taught Sunday school at the church for a number of years.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2009 from 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM at the Oak Crest Chapel, 8820 Walther Blvd, Parkville, Maryland21234. Services will follow at the Oak Crest Chapel at 10:00 AM. Dr. Robert Clipp will officiate.
Interment will be in HarfordMemorialGardens, Aberdeen, Maryland.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in his memory be sent to: Gilchrist Hospice Care, 11311 McCormick Road, Suite 350, Hunt Valley, Maryland21033 or GraceUnitedMethodistChurch, 110 West Bel Air Avenue, Aberdeen, Maryland21001.
