Lieutenant
Lynn “Buck” Compton is familiar to many people because his service in World War Two was portrayed by actor Neal
McDonough in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. But, what many don’t know is that Lynn Compton,
after World War Two, was also a Los Angeles Police Department Detective, an Assistant District Attorney; appellate judge and
author.
In 1939, Lynn “Buck” Compton attended UCLA where he majored
in physical education. At UCLA, he lettered two years in football and three years in baseball and was captain
of the baseball team. Notably, Compton played guard on the Rose Bowl team in 1943. During his college days
he was also a member of the ROTC program.
Lynn “Buck” Compton graduated from the
school’s ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He commanded the “second platoon of Easy Company
in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division. He parachuted into Normandy during the early
hours of D-Day, was part of the assault group that destroyed the German artillery during the battle at Brecourt Manor, fought
on the line at Carentan, helped liberate Holland during Operation Market Garden, and fought in the freezing cold of the Battle
of Bastogne.
As a combat veteran, Lt. Compton received the Silver Star, for valor in the face
of the enemy, the Purple Heart, for being wounded while in the U.S. military, the World War II Victory Medal, for active duty
during World War II, the Orange Lanyard of the Royal Netherlands Army, for bravery, leadership and loyalty in the defense
of the Netherlands, the Combat Infantry Badge, the American Campaign Citation, the American Defense Medal, and the European,
African Mid-Eastern Campaign Medal. Compton, along with his unit, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary
heroism against an armed enemy when holding the main line of resistance during the Battle of the Bulge.”
After
war, Lynn “Buck” Compton, joined the Los Angeles Police Department and began to attend Loyola Law School.
During his days with the Los Angeles Police Department, he attainted the rank of detective and was assigned to the
Central Burglary Division. In 1951, Lynn Compton left the Los Angeles Police Department and joined the
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.
During
his career with the District Attorney’s Office, Lynn Compton would rise to the position of Chief Deputy and serve as
the second in command of the District Attorney’s Office. He prosecuted all manner of felony cases
as well as high profile cases such the prosecution of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In
1970, Lynn “Buck” Compton was “appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the California Courts of Appeal as
an Associate Justice. During his term on the bench, Judge Compton authored more than 2,000 written opinions in all areas of
law.” Lynn “Buck” Compton is the author of Call of Duty: My Life Before,
During and After the Band of Brothers.