On May 17, 2024, at 5:29 p.m., WWII Triple Ace Brigadier General Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 102.
Bud Anderson Interviews, PART 1: • Brigadier General Bud ...
This is a previously unreleased interview with the American hero, filmed when he was 90 years old.
Clarence Emil "Bud" Anderson is a WWII Triple Ace. He served from 1942 to 1972. Some of his decorations include two Legion of Merits, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, 16 Air Medals, and the Bronze Star Medal. After retiring from active duty, Anderson worked at the F-15 test facility at Edwards Air Force Base.
“[Bud’s] kind of a wrecking ball of a guy and I think for many of us, probably wouldn't want to have him behind us shooting us down-he had a distinguished career,” Brown said. “It was really good to have a chance just to read through and for me personally to reflect on the impact you had on the history of our Air Force.”
A large crowd of more than 200 people were in attendance to honor Anderson, as well as members of Congress, local district representatives, and retired military.
“To all the young people that have the ambition to join the Air Force,” Anderson said, “have at it! You can be what you want to be and you should know that when you like what you do, you can excel, be a better person at your job to do it better.”
Before the ceremony, Anderson was asked how it felt to receive this honor; he said he was too overwhelmed to answer that question.
Anderson was born on January 13, 1922. He is a retired officer in the United States Air Force, a triple ace of World War II, and the highest-scoring living American fighter ace. During the war, he was the highest-scoring flying ace in his P-51 Mustang squadron. Towards the end of Anderson's two combat tours in Europe in 1944 he was promoted to major at 22, a young age even for a highly effective officer in wartime. After the war, Anderson became a well-regarded fighter test pilot and a fighter squadron and wing commander. He served his wing commander tour in combat in the Vietnam War. He retired as a full colonel in 1972, after which he worked in flight test management for McDonnell Douglas. A member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, Anderson has remained a sought-after speaker at aviation and military events well into his 90s.
The 357th Fighter Group was stationed at RAF Leiston, and the group was equipped with the North American P-51 Mustang in January 1944. Anderson flew his first mission on February 5, 1944. On March 3, 1944, he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 that was attacking a straggling B-17 Flying Fortress over Berlin, his first aerial victory. Anderson continued to score aerial victories until he shot down a Bf 109 over Frankfurt, his fifth aerial victory, thus making him a flying ace.
On June 29, 1944, Anderson shot down three Focke-Wulf Fw 190s over Leipzig. In July 1944, he took leave and returned to the United States. In the Fall of 1944, he returned to 357th FG and continued to score aerial victories. He scored his final aerial victories on December 5, 1944, when he shot down two Fw 190s over Berlin.
Anderson flew two tours of combat against the Luftwaffe in Europe while with the 363d Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group, based at RAF Leiston, England, and was the group's third leading ace with 16+1⁄4 aerial victories. The others only flew one tour so they had less time in the air. His P-51 Mustang, (P-51B-15-NA AAF Ser. No. 43-24823) the P-51D-10-NA Mustang, AAF Ser. No. 44-14450 B6-S, again nicknamed Old Crow (after the whiskey of the same name), carried him safely through 116 missions without being hit by fire from enemy aircraft and without Anderson ever having to turn back for any reason.
Anderson returned to the U.S. in January 1945, serving at Perrin Field, Texas, until October 1945, when he was assigned as a recruiter in Ohio. Anderson served as a test pilot at Wright Field from May 1948 to February 1953. During this time, he took part in the FICON project, a concept to increase the effective combat radius of jet fighters by attaching them to a propeller-driven bomber, one hooked up to each wingtip. The hope was that it would not only increase fuel efficiency and effective range but also allow the bomber to carry its own fighter escort deep into enemy territory.
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17 май 2024
