Lynn Compton

Lynn Davis Compton (December 31, 1921 – February 25, 2012), known as Buck Compton, was an American jurist, police officer, and soldier. In his legal career, he served as a prosecutor and California Court of Appeal judge, and is most notable as having been the lead prosecutor in Sirhan Sirhan's trial for the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. Previously, he served with the Los Angeles Police Department. During World War II, he was a commissioned officer with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. Compton was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Neal McDonough. Early life Compton was born in Los Angeles, California. Early on, he gave himself the nickname "Buck" due to feeling that Lynn was a name better suited to a girl. His mother Ethel worked for movie studios and a young Compton worked as an extra in films. He was thrown off the set of Modern Times after angering the film's star Charlie Chaplin. He was an athlete at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), being named an all-conference catcher and All-American selection in 1942. Among his baseball teammates was Jackie Robinson. Compton was later inducted into the UCLA Baseball Hall of Fame. He majored in physical education, with a minor in education. He joined the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity in 1940. He also played with the UCLA football team in the 1943 Rose Bowl game on January 1, 1943. Military service At UCLA, Compton participated in ROTC under Cadet Commander John Singlaub. In December 1943, he joined the Army and was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the 101st Airborne Division before Operation Overlord. During the company's action at Brécourt Manor, Compton and others, under the leadership of Lieutenant Richard Winters, assaulted a German battery of four 105 mm 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. Episode two ("Day of Days") of the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers depicts this assault. During the battle, he threw a grenade that was said to have had no arc and hit the German soldier on the back of the helmet. Later in 1944, Compton was shot through the buttocks while participating in Operation Market Garden, the Allies' ill-fated attempt to seize a number of bridges in the Netherlands and cross the Rhine River into Germany.