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Stanley M. Anderson attended the Indiana University before entering the Royal Canadian Air Force as a pilot in March 1941. He was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces in March 1942.

He served with his unit since the campaign on North Africa.

According to the 4th Fighter Group's history of the escort to Berlin, there were two separate encounters with German fighters, about 50 minutes apart, involving two different squadrons. Officially, the show was called Rodeo 204, a fighter sweep to Furnes, Belgium, and to Cassel, France. Times given are conflicting, probably because the group was split up. Both the 56th and 78th Group aircraft participated to gain experience. At 1701 hours, Blakeslee was leading the 335th FS when he spotted three FW 190s over Knocke, at 23,000 feet, and bounced one from 6.000 feet above. The summary says the German pilot dived away and the tail chaser leveled off at 500 feet before the Focke-Wulf crashed into the sea near Ostende.
Meanwhile, the 334th FS was crossing the North Sea, and they engaged FW-190s at about 1750 hours. Two pilots were shot down and killed: Capt Stanley Anderson and Capt Richard McMinn. Both crashed into the water several miles off the coast of Belgium, between Ostende and Blankenberghe.

His brother, Lt Vachel Worthington Anderson, died on 14 September 1945 in Chihkiang, China. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.