Bud Anderson

Clarence Emil "Bud" Anderson (born January 13, 1922) 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.

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 first P-51 Mustang (P-51B-15-NA AAF Ser. No. 43-24823) and his second (P-51D-10-NA Mustang, AAF Ser. No. 44-14450 B6-S), both 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 was working at the Sacramento Air Depot when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

In January 1942, Anderson enlisted in the United States Army as an aviation cadet.

He completed Primary Flight Training at Lindbergh Field, San Diego, and his Advanced Training at Luke Field, Arizona.

Anderson received his wings and commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Air Forces at Hamilton Field, California in September 1942.

Anderson began flying Bell P-39 Airacobras with the 329th Fighter Squadron of the 328th Fighter Group at Hamilton Field and then at the Oakland Municipal Airport, from September 1942 to March 1943.

He was later assigned to the 363rd Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group at Tonopah, Nevada, in March 1943, moving to various bases in California from May to October 1943, then at Casper, Wyoming, from October to November 1943, and finally deploying to England in November 1943.

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.

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 northwest of Hanover, his first aerial victory.

On April 11, he shot down another Bf 109, his second aerial victory.

On the same mission, he and two other members of his flight took turns in shooting down a Heinkel He 111 heavy bomber that was landing at an airfield in Hannover, resulting in the bomber to crash, crediting the three of them with the shared aerial victory.

Anderson continued to score aerial victories until he shot down a Bf 109 over Frankfurt on May 12, 1944, his fifth aerial victory, thus making him a flying ace.

Before the end of May 1944, he destoryed three more enemy aircraft.

On June 29, 1944, Anderson led his fighter squadron on a bomber escort over Leipzig.

Over the target, the squadron encountered eight Focke-Wulf Fw 190s attempting to attack the bomber formation.

Anderson led his squadron against the enemy aircraft and shot down the lead Fw 190.

In the subsequent dogfight, Anderson shot down two more Fw 190s, bringing his total to three Fw 190s destroyed in the mission.

In July 1944, after scoring his tweleveth aerial victory, he took leave and returned to the United States.

In Fall 1944, he returned to 357th FG and on November 27, 1944, he shot down two Fw 190s over Magdeburg and forced another to crash land as he attempted to shoot it, crediting him with two aerial victories and one probable in the mission.

On December 5, 1944 while leading a fighter escort of bombers over Berlin, the escort was attacked by a formation of 20 Fw 190s and in the dogfight, Anderson shot down two Fw 190s, his final aerial victories.

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.

Anderson attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, from September 1954 to August 1955, and then was assigned as Director of Operations for the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Osan Air Base, South Korea, from August 1955 to February 1956 and commander of the 69th Fighter-Bomber Squadron at Osan, from February to August 1956.

Anderson continued serve as test pilot and was assigned as Assistant Chief and then Chief of the Flight Test Operations Division at Edwards Air Force Base from November 1957 to August 1962.

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.

On December 2, 2022, Anderson was promoted to the honorary rank of brigadier general by Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the Air Force chief of staff at the Aerospace Museum of California.

Anderson was born in Oakland, California, and reared on a farm near Newcastle, California.

In high school, he played football and basketball.

He was introduced to aviation at Oakland Municipal Airport.