An American Hero – In the cockpit with Bud Anderson

Ray Fowler at the stick in Jim Hagedorn’s P-51D “Old Crow” above Oshkosh, Wisconsin. (Photo by David Leininger)

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Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, Jr., America’s last living triple ace, departed the pattern on May 17. He was a rara avis, as only six other World War II aces remain. Anderson grew up a Depression-era farm kid who was crazy about airplanes. In that regard he was no different from millions of others enthralled with the glamour of aviation’s golden era. Unlike the huge majority, he followed his dream to stratospheric heights. Born in Oakland...

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