Brig. Gen. Bud Anderson Dies At 102

Triple ace and aviation legend Brig. Gen. C.E. Bud Anderson died Friday at his home in Auburn, California, at the age of 102. Anderson earned 16 kills in the European Theater during the Second World War and The New York Times says he was the last of the triple aces of his era. He reportedly died in his sleep. Anderson was a P-51 pilot in the Second World War assigned to the 357th Fighter Group and flew with Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager. He continued his career after the war, joining the flight test program at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio before flying 25 missions in an F-105 Thunderchief in Vietnam as a wing commander. He retired in 1972 and joined McDonnell Aircraft Company at Edwards Air Force Base as head of flight test.

Anderson was a longtime EAA Warbirds supporter and regular attendee at AirVenture flying a P-51 with the Old Crow nose art that he used in Europe. He flew in a two-seat P-51 at AirVenture 2022 and attended the 2023 show. EAA Warbirds of America said, "Bud was our friend and in a very special way a part of our Warbird family." Tributes are pouring in for Anderson. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.