Bud Anderson has passed on!

[Dauntless]

https://avgeekery.com/wwii-triple-ace-col-bud-anderson-has-passed-away/

 

🥺

[ITAF_Rani]

RIP old eagle

[Raptorattacker]

One o' dem 'True Heroes'...

[MK_RED13]

RIP!!! 😓

[Canvas25]

"the best fighter pilot I ever saw" - Chuck Yeager.

[BlitzPig_EL]

😢

[BMA_FlyingShark]

Blue skies, Mister Anderson.

 

~S~

[AEthelraedUnraed]

RIP Bud.

 

And at the same time, let's be thankful for how his and his fellow pilots' actions helped defeat the Nazis. Bud led a long and worthy life, but this needn't be the end - I hope his story inspires generations to come.

[Trooper117]

I'm sad... 😢

[R33GZ]

Always amazes me how some of those old boys not only survived a war, or multiple wars in Buds case, and then go on to have long lives, defying the odds every time. Salute to you Col. Anderson for a life well lived

[[CPT]Pike*HarryM]

RIP! 😞 His memoir , "To Fly and Fight", is outstanding, highly recommend.

[MiGCap]

Nickel on the grass 

[357th_KW]

4 hours ago, [CPT]Pike*HarryM said:

RIP! 😞 His memoir , "To Fly and Fight", is outstanding, highly recommend.

 

For any of those who haven't read it, the first chapter is available for free on his website - an incredible read.

[61_gonzoon]

RIP 🛫

[easterling77]

RIP Sir.

 

I salute to your service.

Edited May 19, 2024 by easterling77

[SARFlytitus]

RIP

[Aurora_Stealth]

May he rest in peace. 

 

He'll certainly be well remembered for his illustrious service and his very engaging personality - he's inspired countless people.

 

I'm glad we have sims like this one to remind us of these people and to connect with their experiences so we don't forget what it was all about back then.

[taffy2jeffmorgan]

An American Ace who we all remember

RIP 

[Rjel]

RIP sir.
He was always so soft spoken and matter of fact when watching him in numerous documentaries through the years. An amazing life. 

[Chopin]

RIP war hero. If we have the old crow livery, I'd fly it for a while (been flying the Ding Hao!).

[Gambit21]

A great guy, I had the pleasure of corresponding with him in the past. He will be missed.

 

[Lusekofte]

That man was just awesome and had a full life. 
 

[354thFG_Drewm3i-VR]

Soon there won't be many left...RIP

[15[Span.]/JG51Costa]

RIP. 

[Rjel]

3 hours ago, =DW=_Drewm3i-VR said:

Soon there won't be many left...RIP

There's not many left now. Of 16,000,000 U.S. service members in WWII, slightly more than 100,000 were still living in 2023. Over 100 pass each day on average.

[I./JG52_Woutwocampe]

RIP Legend.

[Cybermat47]

May he rest in peace, and may we never forget him or his comrades. The world would be a far worse place without those who fought against the evil of Axis tyranny.

 

If you haven't seen this video that was in the article linked in the first post, I highly recommend it.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2024 by Cybermat47

[Bars-]

RIP

[HBPencil]

R.I.P. Bud Anderson.
I hadn't realised until now but "Sharkey" Ward also passed away on the same day as Anderson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharkey_Ward

Edited May 23, 2024 by HBPencil

[IckyATLAS]

R.I.P. 

There is a say that there are no good pilots but old pilots. And who better that Bud proves it passing away at 102 after having been a WWII triple ace fighter pilot.

I would even say that he proved brightly the opposite too: good pilots become old pilots, and brilliant pilots become very old pilots.

He multiple times put his life on the line to fight for our freedom from the Nazi regime here in Europe. Thanks to his skills and a little good ,luck (you have to be lucky otherwise....) he survived to tell the story.

 

He was not the only one but it is a good moment to remind to all the new generation the multitude of those like Bud put their lives on the line in the skies, on the ground and on the seas, and that many paid the ultimate price for our freedom. 

 

And my way to salute "Bud" is with this video that I just made today. It is an imaginary scene that could have happened back in time exactly 80 years ago.