Last surviving World War 2 Triple Ace laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery

More than 100 people gathered at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday to honor and remember aviation legend Col. (Ret.) Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson, the last World War II triple ace and one of the most distinguished fighter pilots in American history. (Shooting down five enemy aircraft qualifies a pilot as an ace.) Anderson, who passed away May 17, 2024, at age 102, was laid to rest in Section 38, joining his beloved wife of nearly 70 years, Eleanor "Ellie" Cosby, who was buried in 2015. Anderson's full military funeral honors with escort service commenced with a double flyover: first by four F-35 Lightnings, followed by four World War II-era P-51 Mustangs, two of which bore the name "Old Crow," the name of Anderson's fighter. A horse-drawn caisson carried Anderson's urn to Section 38, where an Air Force firing team fired three volleys, a bugler sounded Taps and a bagpiper concluded the ceremony by playing "Amazing Grace." U.S. Air Force Chaplain (Capt.) Andrew Lloyd, who oversaw the service, told the mourners, "In life, Bud Anderson honored the flag with his service to the nation; now, it is our honor to present our nation's flag in honorable and faithful service." After the Color Guard crisply folded the American flag over Anderson's urn, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach presented it to Anderson's son Jim, who then passed it to his sister Katherine "Kitty" Burlington, seated next to him. "We're sharing it," he later explained. Receiving the flag from Gen. Wilsbach humbled Jim. "I appreciate that he would take time out of his busy schedule to be here," he said. Both siblings were deeply moved by the service, particularly the double flyover. While Jim worked to ensure the P-51s would be part of the ceremony, the addition of the F-35s came as a surprise. "That was really special," he said. Anderson's journey to becoming an aviation legend began in the 1920s, when he was growing up on a California farm and became fascinated by airplanes flying overhead. In 1941, at age 19, he earned his private pilot's license. He joined the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program in January 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II, and was commissioned in the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) later that year. During World War II, Anderson served two tours with the USAAF's 363rd Fighter Squadron, flying P-51 Mustangs that escorted heavy bombers — helping to win Allied air supremacy over Europe. He flew 116 individual combat missions that resulted in 16¼ kills, earning him "triple ace" status. After World War II, Anderson remained in the Army and then the Air Force, after it was established as a separate service branch in 1947. As a fighter pilot, test pilot and combat and operational commander, Anderson logged more than 7,500 flight hours and flew more than 130 types of aircraft. His many decorations include five Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Legion of Merits, 16 Air Medals and the French Legion of Honor and Croix de Guerre. Yet Anderson's legacy is not defined by numbers alone. After he retired from the Air Force in 1972, he became a public ambassador for the World War II generation and America's achievements in aviation. Through his 1990 memoir and frequent speaking engagements, Anderson brought to life the experience of aerial combat and the significance of military service. Reflecting on his father's influence, Jim — who attended the Air Force Academy, served in Vietnam and then became a commercial airline pilot — said, "When I was in the Air Force, I tried to keep it a secret who my father was because I wanted to make (my career) my own. But eventually people would find out." And Anderson continued flying, until the age of 90. In 2022, when he was honored at the nation's largest aviation convention, he took his last flight (as a passenger) in a P-51 Mustang. He was 100 years old. Beyond his remarkable career, Anderson was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Jim and Kitty each shared fond memories of their father. He taught them how to hunt, fish and play basketball and card games. Jim remembered his father fashioning a cockpit out of a large cardboard box, drawing dials on the dashboard and letting his young son wear his World War II-era helmet while "flying" in the makeshift cockpit. Kitty recalled Anderson playing with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren during his later years. She also noted that after her mother moved into a nursing home, he visited her every day and always brought something to cheer her up. "I really admired that he was so loyal to her," she said. The funeral at Arlington National Cemetery offered a poignant farewell to a beloved family man and aviation icon. "Bud Anderson is a hero and legend in air combat; he wrote the playbook," concluded Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Ken Wilsbach. "He mastered his craft, flew with immense courage and leaves a legacy of service that will inspire generations."