Second World War triple fighter ace Clarence 'Bud' Anderson dies at the age of 102
Clarence 'Bud' Anderson, who became a triple ace after shooting down 16 German aircraft during the Second World War, has died at the age of 102.
Bud Anderson, who was promoted to the honorary rank of brigadier general in 2022, joined the US Army Air Forces in January 1942 and served in Europe with the 357th Fighter Group.
He did two combat tours in Europe and after the war became a test pilot, fighter squadron commander and wing commander, and served a combat tour in Vietnam.
While based in the United States he flew the P-39 Airacobra, but when he was deployed to Europe he operated the North American P-51 Mustang, the 357th being the first unit in the Eighth Air Force to go into combat with the type.
Brig Gen Anderson shot down a combination of Messerschmitt Bf 109s and Focke-Wulf 190s, the majority over Germany, with one Fw 190 being downed over Orléans in France.
He also claimed a shared kill on a Heinkel 111 medium bomber. Most of his victories were gained flying a P-51B Mustang, with the remainder in the later P-51D variant.
His aircraft were personalised with the name Old Crow – this being a brand of bourbon – supposedly the cheapest whiskey that was available at the time.
His favourite Old Crow was a P-51D with the tail number 44-14450.
Brig Gen Anderson liked this aircraft because of its impressive armament – six .50 calibre machine guns compared with only four on the P-51B.
It also had a bubble canopy, offering greater all-round visibility.
Brig Gen Anderson was the last living American triple flying ace of the Second World War – five kills making an ace.
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