After graduating from USMA in 1965 and completing Airborne and Ranger training, Joseph "Joe" Anderson reported to South Vietnam as an individual replacement officer in the 1st Cavalry Division in July 1966. He and his soldiers were featured in the award-winning documentary "The Anderson Platoon," which chronicled their experiences over two months. He later commanded a company during a second tour in Vietnam, served as a general's aide, taught at West Point, and was a White House Fellow. Following his departure from active duty in 1978, he achieved success as an executive with several corporations, including General Motors and TAG Holdings, received the National Society of Black Engineers 2013 Lifetime Achievement in Industry Award, and served on the USMA Board of Trustees. In this interview, he discusses being one of a handful of African-Americans in his cadet class, his combat experiences in Vietnam and Cambodia, leadership lessons he learned in command, the legacy of "The Anderson Platoon," his business career, and opportunity at West Point.
