Bud Anderson, the last World War II ‘triple ace,’ dies at 102
One of the last masters of the air has died. Brig. Gen. Clarence Emil “Bud” Anderson,
“On 17 May 2024 at 5:29pm, WWII Triple Ace Brigadier General Clarence E “Bud” Anderson passed away in his home peacefully in his sleep surround [sic] by his family.
Dad lived an amazing life and was loved by many. He was 102! Thank you for all your kind comments and messages.”
Anderson’s aerial victories during World War II gave him the rare “triple ace” status, but his career in the military extends beyond those battles in the sky.
A few months later he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces
He stayed stateside for more than a year, piloting a Bell P-39. He finally went overseas to England in late 1943.
Then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ. Brown, Jr. leads Bud Anderson in the oath of office in 2022
He is credited with 16 and a quarter kills. The quarter came from a joint effort in downing one German plane.