To Fly and Fight

Memoirs of a Triple Ace

By: Clarence E. Bud Anderson

Narrated by: Joshua Katinger

Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Bud Anderson is a flyers flyer. The Californians enduring love of flying began in the 1920s with the planes that flew over his father's farm. In January 1942, he entered the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program.

Later after he received his wings and flew P-39s, he was chosen as one of the original flight leaders of the new 357th Fighter Group. Equipped with the new and deadly P-51 Mustang, the group shot down five enemy aircraft for each one it lost while escorting bombers to targets deep inside Germany. But the price was high. Half of its pilots were killed or imprisoned, including some of Buds closest friends.

In February 1944, Bud Anderson, entered the uncertain, exhilarating, and deadly world of aerial combat. He flew two tours of combat against the Luftwaffe in less than a year. In battles sometimes involving hundreds of airplanes, he ranked among the groups leading aces with 16 aerial victories. He flew 116 missions in his old crow without ever being hit by enemy aircraft or turning back for any reason, despite one life or death confrontation after another.

His friend Chuck Yeager, who flew with Anderson in the 357th, says, In an airplane, the guy was a mongoose...the best fighter pilot I ever saw.

Bud's years as a test pilot were at least as risky. In one bizarre experiment, he repeatedly linked up in midair with a B-29 bomber, wingtip to wingtip. In other tests, he flew a jet fighter that was launched and retrieved from a giant B-36 bomber. As in combat, he lost many friends flying tests such as these.Bud commanded a squadron of F-86 jet fighters in postwar Korea, and a wing of F-105s on Okinawa during the mid-1960s. In 1970 at age 48, he flew combat strikes as a wing commander against communist supply lines.

To Fly and Fight is about flying, plain and simple: the joys and dangers and the very special skills it demands. Touching, thoughtful, and dead-honest, it is the story of a boy who grew up living his dream.

©1990, 2011, 2019 Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson (P)2023 Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson

You will like it

If you are searching for this type of book, then you have found it. I bought the autographed hard copy after listening.

Fantastic!!!

I have seen General Anderson speak several times at Oshkosh. He is a true national treasure. This book is absolutely fantastic!!!

A wonderful memoir from this great American hero. Fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable.

Incredibly honest and detailed. It gives the listener insight into the amount of personal sacrifice that a dedicated military man and his family endure for our Country.

Lots of great info added in.

Solid book very easy to tell how humble author was, for me you could have filled the whole book with combat stories.

Excellent account of an amazing individual.

Excellent narration by Josh. What an amazing person Bud was. I wish I had known about him before now.

Buds Life.

Incredible story, Listened twice, and read the physical book. Fantastic Book. Would recommend to anyone with even a hint of interest in WW2 Aviation.

A great American hero.

I really liked the man. He told his story well. The editor should have worked on the sequence more.

Mustang stories

Great book by an American hero. If you love the distinctive sound of a Mustang’s engine you’ll love this book

A life of honor and service

I am always amazed that whenever America is at a crisis men such as Bud Anderson are there. I enjoyed learning about his life before, during and especially after World war II. He had tremendous success as a pilot, as an airman, as a leader and especially as a family man. Truly a wonderful story of a great American!

Aviation history.

A great brook on WWII aviation as well as the development of the Air Force and the advance of military technology.