Anderson's enlistment was rejected in 1917 when his physical exam revealed he had club foot surgery when he was one year old. He attempted to enlist again in 1918 after a desperate plea for more men in the infantry, and was accepted. He completed basic training in the Infantry with the 2nd Infantry Division. He was then sent overseas and fought from trenches in France in the Chateau Thiery area.

 

He caught the flu and was found unconscious and was propped up against a tree near a farmstead by his buddies. A French family carried him to their house and called the military. He was retrieved a week later, still unconscious, and was taken to the nearest hospital. He awoke one morning curious as to where he was; there was no one who spoke English. An Army Sergeant came and took him back to his unit. There were a few buddies left that he knew, who couldn't believe that he was alive.

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After the Army pushed Germany back to their own country, effectively winning the war, he volunteered for the Army of Occupation. They placed him in a French farming area along with two other volunteer soldiers; the Army paid for their room and board. He liked that family they were staying with and enjoyed the food that they were given, even helping out with the chores on occasion. Their duty was to check with the military and assist the French people recover from the war damage done in the local area.

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He returned to the U.S. via New York City. When they arrived, they were to participate in a parade down Broadway Street. They were still wearing their winter uniforms and they did not have water along the parade route. He was glad to finally return to his family farm in Ashkum, IL. He never spoke with anyone about his war experiences except for one hour when he was 88 years old. He did share these experiences briefly with a grandson.