In the latter part of the Second World War—specifically in 1944—Clarence “Bud” Anderson achieved his first enemy kill near Hanover, Germany. While protecting an Allied aircraft under attack by the Luftwaffe, he successfully downed a Messerschmitt bf 109, with two fellow squadron pilots witnessing the event.
This victory marked the beginning of many more to come. Anderson’s remarkable career as a fighter pilot led him to earn the prestigious title of triple ace. His service extended beyond World War II, as he went on to serve in both Korea and Vietnam and later became a test pilot for a unique (and risky) project with the US Air Force.
Bud Anderson’s early life and enlistment with the US military
Clarence “Bud” Anderson was born in Oakland, California, and spent his childhood on a farm near Newcastle. He was no stranger to flight before the start of the Second World War. When he was a child, his father introduced him to flying, and he flew with him in a Boeing-Stearman Model 75 biplane at the age of seven.
Anderson was a student at Place Union High School, before attending Sacramento Junior College and George Washington University. He took a job at the Sacramento Air Depot, where he was working when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
Shortly after, in January 1942, Anderson enlisted in the US Army’s Aviation Cadet program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant with the US Army Air Forces (USAAF).
The young airman served as a pilot with the 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force on two combat tours in Europe. The 357th – nicknamed the “Yoxford Boys” – were based near the village of Yoxford. According to them, the nickname was created by German propagandist Lord Haw Haw the night they arrived at RAF Leiston.
Becoming a triple ace
It wasn’t until late 1943/early ’44 that the 357th arrived in the United Kingdom, and, by February 11, 1944, they were officially committed to combat. The group produced 42 flying aces and destroyed roughly 609 aircraft between November 1943 and January ’45, according to VA News. Historynet estimates their overall aerial victories throughout the Second World War was actually around 595.
The 357th was also the first group in the Eighth Air Force to fly the North American P-51 Mustang.
Bud Anderson flew his first mission with the 357th on February 5, 1944, and shot down his first enemy aircraft a little under one month later. It was the aforementioned Messerschmitt Bf 109 attacking an Allied Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress near Hanover. This was the first of many victories for the would-be ace, flying his P-51D Old Crow.
Anderson was officially credited with downing 16 1/4 enemy aircraft over 116 missions. Not only did this make him a triple flying ace, but he was able to accomplish the feat without ever taking damage to his aircraft or needing to return to base for other issues. Aside from Anderson, the 357th impressively produced three other triple aces.
Bud Anderson becomes a FICON test pilot
After World War II, Bud Anderson served as a test pilot at Wright Field in Ohio, where he conducted trials with Republic RF-84 Thunderflashes as part of the Fighter Conveyor (FICON) Program. This program aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a Convair B-36 Peacemaker carrying an RF-84 within its bomb bay or attached externally, thereby extending the combat range of jet fighters and enabling bombers to bring their own fighter escorts into hostile regions.
Anderson’s role involved determining the optimal method for attaching the RF-84 to the larger aircraft, experimenting with placements both beneath the B-36’s fuselage and at the wingtips. He piloted one of the attached fighter-bombers, separating it from the B-36 while airborne. The testing yielded positive results, but the program’s adoption was limited and short-lived.
Serving in Korea and Vietnam
From September 1954 to August ’55, Anderson attended the Air Command and Staff College, before being sent to Osan Air Base in Korea to serve as the director of operations for the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing. In 1956, he took over command of the 58th’s 69th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. Finally, he was the executive officer of the 6511th Parachute Test Group in California, serving in the position until November 1957.
Toward the end of the Vietnam War, Anderson moved to command the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, which flew the Republic F-105 Thunderchief. The unit flew out of Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base and mounted attacks against enemy supply lines. When the 355th was deactivated at the end of the conflict, Anderson was responsible for closing down the base.
Bud Anderson kept busy following his retirement
Bud Anderson retired from the US Air Force in March 1972, having flown over 100 types of aircraft and logging more than 7,000 hours of flight time. Following his retirement, he took charge of McDonnell Aircraft Company’s Flight Test Facility at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
In the decades after his service, he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame; the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s International Air & Space Hall of Fame; and the EAA Warbirds of America Hall of Fame. Anderson also received an impressive number of awards for his service during the Second World War and in Korea and Vietnam, including two Legions of Merit, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, 16 Air Medals and a French Croix de Guerre.
In later years, he was also given the Air & Space Forces Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
While he’d decided at 90 that he was done with flying, Anderson continued giving talks about his experiences. Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager, a flying ace and the first confirmed test pilot to exceed the speed of sound, called him “the best fighter pilot [he’d] ever seen.”
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On May 17, 2024, at 102 years old, Bud Anderson passed away in his sleep, surrounded by family. While his death marked the loss of the last of World War II’s famed triple aces, his legacy will continue to live on and inspire.
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