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Captain Clarence E. Jr. "Bud" Anderson, ace of the 357th Fighter Group, sits on the wing of his P-51 Mustang (B6-S, serial number 44-14450) nicknamed "Old Crow". Image signed on reverse by Anderson. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Major C E Anderson ace 357 FG. A/c name "Old Crow".
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Major Richard A Peterson, Major Leonard "Kit" Carson, Major John B England and Second Lieutenant Clarence "Bud" Anderson, the highest scoring aces of the 357th Fighter Group.
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A P-51 Mustang nicknamed "Old Crow" of the 357th Fighter Group. Captain Clarence A "Bud" Anderson has signed the image: "Just one more pass back & we'll set course" - Your pal, Andy." Handwritten caption on reverse: 'BC524. Hadowell via R.C. Jones. Legends 2003, Anderson Article, Mustang Man, Photo 1.'
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Clarence "Bud" Anderson a pilot of the 357th Fighter Group with his P-51 Mustang, March 1944.
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Captain C.E. Anderson of the 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group talks to his ground crew from the wing of his P-51 Mustang. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Capt. C.E. Anderson (363rd Ftr. Sq.) describing his 9th victory to his crew.'
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Lieutenant Colonel Clarence E. " Bud" Anderson Jr., Captain in the 357th Fighter Group. Post war portrait. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Lt. Col. Clarence E. Anderson Jr.'
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Capt. Bud Anderson and his close friend Capt. Jim Browning in font of Anderson's P-51 'Old Crow'.
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Major "Bud" Anderson and his crew chief Leon Zimmermann in front of their P-51. Official caption on back: 'EUROPE-North American P-51 Mustang pilot Major Clarence E. Anderson, Jr., of the 357th Fighter Group, congratulates his crew chief, Sgt Leon E. Zimmermann for his part in the team work that has made possible Anderson’s amazing total of 480 operational hours-116 consecutive missions-without once returning to base before "mission completed". Major Anderson has shot down 18 ½ Nazi planes.'
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357th FG Aces
L to R: Richard Peterson, Leonard "Kit" Carson, John B. England, Clarence "Bud" Anderson
Clarence "Bud" Anderson enlisted shortly after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour. He earned his pilots wing in September 1942 and joined the 357th Fighter Group a year later. In late 1943, Anderson and the 357th arrived in Europe, where they quickly transferred to the P-51 Mustang and began flying missions from February 1944. Anderson described feeling "more afraid of screwing up than of dying" on his first mission on 5 February 1944, but soon found his form, claiming his first victory less than a month later on 3 March 1944. He claimed a total of 16.25 kills, becoming a triple Ace and flew 116 Combat missions between November 1943 and January 1945.
Anderson stayed with the US Air Force following the War, and became a test pilot, flying 130 different types of aircraft over 7,500 hours. He commanded an F-86 Sabre Squadron in Post War Korea, an F-105 Thunderchief Wing on Okinawa and the 355th Tactical Fighter Squadron in Southeast Asia. Anderson retired from the US Air Force in March 1972, and joined McDonnell Aircraft Company. He fully retired in 1984, and gives lectures on experience, he retains a pilots license and still flies P-51s.
Service
People
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Military | Captain | Fighter pilot | 357th Fighter Group
Jim Browning joined the Army Air Corps in Feb-42 and was given his wings on August 17, 1943. He joined the 363rd Fighter Squadron while it was still training in Nevada. He was assigned to Capt. ‘Bud’ Anderson’s flight and stayed with it during training...
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Military | Sergeant | "Gunner" / Ground crew chief / Flight chief | 100th Bomb Group
After his WWII service, Otto Heino became a world renowned ceramicist.
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Military | First Lieutenant | Pilot | 357th Fighter Group
(Under construction)
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Asst Crew chief | 357th Fighter Group
Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF. Asst crew chief of Clarence E 'Bud' Anderson. S/Sgt Melvin Schueneman was returning from France in an AT-6, after repairing P-51D "Little Joe". Lt Walter Corby and "Schunny" were killed as their A/C flew into bad...
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Military | Lieutenant | Pilot | 357th Fighter Group
Simpson was on a fighter sweep mission when his element was jumped by a number of German fighters. In the running dogfight that ensued, his P-51D (41-13712 "Reluctant Rebel") collided with Lt. Don Feron in another P-51. Simpson bailed out and avoided...
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Military | Second Lieutenant | Fighter Pilot 1056 twin engine | 55th Fighter Group
Wingman 38th FS 55th FG.
KIA on 4th mission Nov. 14, 1943 near Klein-Minnelag, Germany.
P-38H #42-67059, MACR #1438.
Best friend of Col Bud Anderson 357th FG ace.
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Military | Sergeant | Ground Personal/Armorer | 357th Fighter Group
Leon Zimmermann served with the 357th Fighter Group as Major Clarence "Bud" Anderson's armorer for 'Old Crow'.
Show more
Units served with
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Group
The 357th Fighter Group was the first P-51 Mustang Group in the Eighth Air Force, training with them from November 1943 at Raydon, England and entering combat with them in the February of the following year from their new base at Leiston. The Group was...
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Aircraft
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR). Crashed Sth of Spezat on the return from a bomber escort mission to Berlin on 22-Mar-44. Pilot Lt Carter Jones. Prisoner of War (POW). MACR 3401.
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) bomber escort to Brunswick, closed in a dive to 50yds of Bf109, which disintegrated, causing A/C to fly through the resulting debris. Last seen in dive through debris Pilot Lt Alfred R Boyle...
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Capt Clarence E Anderson Jr. Re-assigned to Lt James E Taylor.
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF. Personal aircraft of Capt Clarence E Anderson. Re-assigned to Lt William B Overstreet. Re-assigned to Lt William H Fricker. Landing accident 30-May-45 - Lt. William S Davis.
Associated Place
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Military site : airfield
Leiston's location only three miles from the North Sea Coast made it ideal as a Fighter Group air base whose job would be to escort bombers across the sea and over occupied Europe. The air base also witnessed the arrival of many very damaged Allied...
Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
Oakland, CA, USA |
13 January 1922 |
Lived in |
Newcastle, CA 95658, USA |
1940 |
Assigned |
Leiston IP16, UK |
27 February 1943 – November 1943 |
Assigned to 363FS, 357FG, 8AF USAAF.
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Crashed |
Leiston IP16, UK |
3 May 1944 |
Taxiing Accident Leiston/Sta 373 Cat 3 damage, pilot 1st Lt Clarence E Anderson Jr, 3-May-44.
P-51B7 43-6727 - 362FS 357FG 8AF
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End Tour Duty (ETD) #1 |
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13 July 1944 |
Ended 1st Tour Duty (ETD).
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Transferred |
Leiston IP16, UK |
9 November 1944 – 1 December 1944 |
Transferred to HQ Sqn, 357FG, 8AF USAAF.
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End Tour Duty (ETD) #2 |
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17 January 1945 |
Ended 2nd Tour Duty (ETD).
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Crashed |
Eglin AFB, FL 32542, USA |
31 March 1949 |
Landing Accident Eglin AFB, Florida Cat 3 damage, pilot Capt Clarence E Anderson Jr, 31-Mar-1949.
Q-14B 44-68786 - Testing
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Crashed |
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, USA |
25 August 1949 |
Landing Accident due to Mechanical Failure Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio Cat 3 damage, pilot Capt Clarence E Anderson Jr, 25-Aug-49.
F-86A 48-295 - FTD
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Crashed |
Hamilton, OH, USA |
15 April 1951 |
Mechanical Failure 20 Miles Nth Hamilton, Ohio Cat 2 damage, pilot Capt Clarence E Anderson Jr, 15-Apr-51.
F-84E 49-2067 - FTD
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Lived in |
Auburn, CA, USA |
1984 – 2014 |
Bud currently lives in Auburn, CA with his wife.
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