Ray Anderson was born on November 24, 1895, in Tarboro, North Carolina. Anderson was a farmer in Tarboro when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. He was subsequently inducted into the service in May 1918 and served with the 156th Depot Brigade and the 317th Field Artillery. He served overseas from August 1918 to June 1919 and was honorably discharged on June 19, 1919. Anderson died in Greenville (Pitt County) on May 1, 1984.