Air Force 'Triple Ace' visits base

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Charles V. Rivezzo
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  It was hard-pressed to find an open seat at the Travis Delta Breeze Club Dec. 10. The consensus of the crowd was all the same, they came to meet an Air Force living legend.

Glasses were charged and toasts were made in typical Daedalians fashion, honoring "those who have gone before us." Interaction between Airmen of past and present took place during the social hour, as stories were exchanged and generations bridged.

But everyone was there to hear the words from one man in particular, retired Col. Clarence "Bud" Anderson, a World War II "Triple Ace" who is credited with 16 ¼ aerial victories while piloting the P-51 Mustang, which he affectionately called "Old Crow." His name is written in the history books of Air Force legends, along-side those such as Gen. Curtis E. LeMay and Brig. Gen. Robin Olds. Airmen who shaped the Air Force we serve in today.

During Anderson's presentation, he spoke proudly of his 30-years of military service. Telling stories of a different kind of combat, one many Airmen in today's generation have yet to encounter - dog fights.

Meanwhile, the crowd of more than 30 Airmen were able to sit back and soak in the history being bestowed upon them from first-hand experiences, while others in the crowd reminisced on their own experiences of that era.

"It is rare that we get to hear firsthand accounts of WWII combat, but it is even rarer to hear those accounts from legendary Airmen," said Maj. Jason Richardson, 60th Air Mobility Wing and event coordinator. "It was an insight which no history book could do justice."

By the end of WWII, Anderson had flown nearly 500 hours in combat, a total of 116 missions without ever being shot down.

What seemed to be the proudest moments of his speech was when he spoke of the Airmen who served along-side him, specifically his crew chiefs who remained with him throughout the war.

"To hear Col. Anderson's almost reverence for his crew chiefs was amazing. The dedication and resourcefulness they exhibited to ensure the aircraft he flew into combat with was in perfect condition is admirable," Richardson said. "Who would have thought to clean a bombsight with a Turkey feather to prevent having to remove and then recalibrate the sight?"

Serving as a test pilot as well as a group and wing commander, Anderson went on to have a distinguished Air Force career earning two Legion of Merit medals, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star and 15 Air Medals throughout his 30-years of service.

Moreover at the age of 48, he impressively flew combat strikes as a wing commander against communist supply lines in Vietnam.

"The days of meeting a man like this are becoming few and far between," said Tech. Sgt. Richard Costaflis, 79th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator. "His achievements are incredible. He's a living legend. In today's day and age, the experiences this man endured you won't find anywhere else. It was a different kind of fight in those days."

By the end of his military career, Anderson retired as a colonel with more than 7,000 flight hours logged and more than 100 types of aircraft flown. However, when it was all over, he never hung his flight suit up for good. Even at the ripe age of 91 he is still an active pilot, maintaining his Certified Flight Instructor Rating.

As the famous Chuck Yeager said of him, "In an airplane, that guy was a mongoose, the best fighter pilot I ever saw."