Lynn Compton
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| Lynn "Buck" Compton | |
|---|---|
| Born December 31, 1921 | |
| Nickname | Buck |
| Place of birth | Los Angeles, California |
| Years of service | 1942-1945 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, |
| Awards | - Silver Star - Purple Heart - World War II Victory Medal - Presidential Unit Citation (2OLC) - Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army |
| Other work | Police Detective, District Attorney, Judge, Radio Commentator |
Lynn D. "Buck" Compton (born December 31, 1921) is a retired California Court of Appeal Judge who served as the lead prosecutor in Sirhan Sirhan's trial for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy.[1] During World War II, Compton was awarded a Silver Star while serving as a Second Lieutenant commanding the 2nd platoon of Easy Company in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division, which gained him his promotion to First Lieutenant. His recent fame is from the book Band of Brothers, written by Stephen Ambrose. The book was also made into a miniseries on HBO, in which Neal McDonough portrayed him.
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[edit] Prior to World War II
Compton was a star athlete at UCLA, where he was a catcher on the university's baseball team alongside Jackie Robinson. He majored in Physical Education, with a minor in Education. He also played with the UCLA football team in the 1943 Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 1943.[2]
[edit] World War II Service
At UCLA Compton also participated in ROTC under Cadet Commander John Singlaub,[2] and in early 1943, he joined the Army and was assigned to Company E of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the 101st Airborne Division prior to D-Day. During the company's action at Brécourt Manor, Compton and others, under the leadership of First Lieutenant Richard Winters, assaulted a German battery of four 105mm howitzers firing on Utah Beach, disabling the guns and routing the enemy. Compton was awarded the Silver Star for his action in disabling the guns.[2] Episode two ("Day of Days") of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers depicts this assault.
Later in 1944, Compton was wounded while participating in Operation Market-Garden,[2] the Allies' ill-fated attempt to seize a number of bridges in Holland and cross the Rhine River into Germany. After a partial recovery, he returned to Easy Company in time for the month-long siege in the frozen Ardennes that would become known as the Battle of the Bulge. In January 1945, Compton left Easy Company for another assignment. According to Band of Brothers, though ostensibly evacuated for severe trench foot, his transfer was due in part to combat fatigue, culminating when Compton witnessed two of his closest friends being badly maimed by artillery fire. Compton has stated since that if he had been irrecoverably scarred by the shelling he would not have entered service with the LAPD.[citation needed]
[edit] Medals and Decorations
- Silver Star
- Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster
- Purple Heart
- American Campaign Medal
- American Defense Service Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster
- Combat Infantryman Badge
- Parachutist Badge with 2 jump stars
- Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army
[edit] After World War II
After the war, Compton married and had two children. In 1946, he turned down an offer to play minor league baseball, choosing instead to concentrate on a career in law. He attended Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and became a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department in the Central Burglary Division.[2] He joined the District Attorney's office in 1951 as a deputy district attorney, and was promoted in 1964 to chief deputy district attorney.
During his time with the District Attorney's office, he successfully prosecuted Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1970, Governor Ronald Reagan appointed him as an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal. He retired from the bench in 1990 and now resides in Washington. In 2005, he appeared in an advertising campaign for repeal of the estate tax.
Compton's memoirs are also due for publication in Spring 2008, entitled: "Call of Duty: My Life before, during and after the Band of Brothers" and written with Marcus Brotherton.[1]
