26 Facts About Bud Anderson

Clarence Emil "Bud" Anderson was an officer in the United States Air Force and a triple ace of World War II.

Bud Anderson retired as a full colonel in 1972, after which he worked in flight test management for McDonnell Douglas.

Bud Anderson received an honorary promotion to brigadier general in 2022.

Bud Anderson was born on January 13,1922, in Oakland, California, and raised on a farm near Newcastle, California.

Bud Anderson graduated from Placer Union High School in Auburn, California.

Bud Anderson was introduced to aviation at Oakland Municipal Airport.

Bud Anderson was working at the Sacramento Air Depot during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7,1941.

In January 1942, shortly after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Bud Anderson enlisted in the United States Army as an aviation cadet.

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

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

Bud 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.

Bud Anderson 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.

Bud Anderson shot down the lead Fw 190 then, in the subsequent dogfight, shot down two more Fw 190s, for a total of three.

Bud 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.

Bud Anderson returned to the US in January 1945, serving at Perrin Field, Texas, until that October, when he was assigned as a recruiter in Ohio.

Bud Anderson served as a test pilot at Wright Field from May 1948 to February 1953.

Bud 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.

Bud Anderson continued as a 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.

Bud Anderson attended the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, from August 1962 to July 1963.

Bud Anderson was decorated 25 times for his service to the United States, during which he flew over 100 types of aircraft and logged over 7,000 hours.

Bud Anderson was a close friend of Brigadier General Chuck Yeager during and after the end of World War II, where both served in the 357th Fighter Group.

Bud Anderson died on January 30,2015, in Auburn, California, just four days before her 92nd birthday, and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

In 2005, Bud Anderson appeared on pilot episode of the History Channel series Dogfights.

On July 19,2008, Bud Anderson was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Bud Anderson was the last living American triple flying ace of World War II.

Bud Anderson died in his sleep at his home in Auburn, California, on May 17,2024, at the age of 102.