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User Panel
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TN, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:13:38 AM EDT
He flew with my great uncle during WWII in the 363rd and I had the good fortune to know him and his family. 102 of the most amazing years a man can string together, one of the kindest men around, and a real American hero. 15.5 victories and a wonderful legacy, wonderful family, good man.
He’s catching California Golden Trout and eating well high up with Chuck Yeager tonight. Thank you, Bud. I never thought you would actually be gone. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:21:14 AM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:47:29 AM EDT
[#2]
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CA, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:50:51 AM EDT
[#3]
Wife and I met him, quite briefly, in about 2014. Class act.
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USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:53:21 AM EDT
[#4]
Damn, I didn't realize he was still alive. I still remember watching him in a documentary. He was moved to tears describing how one day he'd casually mentioned that the weather had changed and it was going to be time to polish the airplanes for better camo or something. The next day the ground crewmen's hands were bloody and the airplanes polished. It stuck with me that he had that connection with his men and that he seemed, beyond a great pilot, a good man too.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:54:15 AM EDT
[#5]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:10:42 AM EDT
[#6]
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AR, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:25:21 AM EDT
[#7]
RIP to a great American.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:33:53 AM EDT
[#8]
Met him at the AirWarrior convention in Dallas. A fine gentleman.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:37:57 AM EDT
[#9]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 4:01:00 AM EDT
[#10]
A helluva man.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 4:17:00 AM EDT
[#11]
Great American. RIP sir...
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Posted: 5/18/2024 5:55:43 AM EDT
[#12]
Originally Posted By PeterPangenderPhD: He flew with my great uncle during WWII in the 363rd and I had the good fortune to know him and his family. 102 of the most amazing years a man can string together, one of the kindest men around, and a real American hero. 15.5 victories and a wonderful legacy, wonderful family, good man. He’s catching California Golden Trout and eating well high up with Chuck Yeager tonight. Thank you, Bud. I never thought you would actually be gone. RIP Bud. Got to meet him, Yeager, and Hoover at Gathering of Mustangs as a teen. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:22:42 AM EDT
[#13]
Local CAF wing has a P-39 in his livery. Don’t mind the state of the bird, she was in the middle of an overhaul.
 Attached FileHe had a great podcast with Jocko Willink. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:26:39 AM EDT
[#14]
One of the greats. RIP sir
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:31:05 AM EDT
[#15]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:32:12 AM EDT
[#16]
RIP Bud
 from The Gathering of Mustangs and Legends 
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:34:46 AM EDT
[#17]
Hell of a life. RIP
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:41:03 AM EDT
[#18]
Great man and lived a great life. Not many of his generation left now.
Unrelated question. How did they figure the .5 in their victory total? Was it like an assist? |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:51:39 AM EDT
[#19]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 9:16:09 AM EDT
[#20]
One of my heroes. RIP Sir!
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:38:34 PM EDT
[#21]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:40:01 PM EDT
[#22]
Damn, great American man.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:41:11 PM EDT
[#23]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:52:50 PM EDT
[#24]
Got to meet him at several shows over the years; awesome man! The nation is less with him gone.
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FL, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:54:30 PM EDT
[#25]
I had the honor of meeting him and driving him to a couple of meetings in a golf cart at Oshkosh a few years ago. He was so gracious to me, talked to me like we'd know each other forever. I was a bit star struck and he seemed to know it, and just made it so easy on me.
A true American hero that will be sorely missed. What a life he led. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:55:28 PM EDT
[#26]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 2:56:11 PM EDT
[#27]
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:03:17 PM EDT
[#28]
National treasure.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:05:03 PM EDT
[#29]
Damn, another great one gone. RIP. |
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:11:53 PM EDT
[#30]
Got an autograph and my picture taken with him at an airshow in 1999; photo still sits on my mantel.
RIP. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:13:08 PM EDT
[#31]
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:13:39 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Chokey: from The Gathering of Mustangs and Legends https://i.imgur.com/4oFSNU9.jpg Yep, that was the show I went to in 1999. My grandfather paid for my airline ticket (thanks, grandpa!). |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:20:21 PM EDT
[Last Edit: thirsty]
[#33]
I sat and watched a presentation he made at Oshkosh IIRC back in 2006 with a friend. RIP
My great uncle flew in the 374th FS, 361st FG during the war, I think out of Bottisham. They started in P-47s and transitioned to P-51s. I’m sure he and Bud shared the skies at some point. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 3:32:15 PM EDT
[#34]
 I kinda prefer the "B" model, I think it's more interesting to look at... I dunno that it was as good as the P-51D tho.. |
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 4:36:54 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By byron2112: https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/052/399/734/large/piotr-forkasiewicz-arma-oldcrow.jpg?1661367904 I kinda prefer the "B" model, I think it's more interesting to look at... I dunno that it was as good as the P-51D tho.. Biggest drawback to the B model was probably the guns; only 4 (instead of 6 as in the D), and they were prone to jamming because they had to lay partly slanted within the wings. D model fixed these issues, but was a couple MPH slower as a result. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 4:59:40 PM EDT
[#36]
. A great pilot and a true hero.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 5:02:53 PM EDT
[Last Edit: curiomatic]
[#37]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Bushleaguepilot: Damn, I didn't realize he was still alive. I still remember watching him in a documentary. He was moved to tears describing how one day he'd casually mentioned that the weather had changed and it was going to be time to polish the airplanes for better camo or something. The next day the ground crewmen's hands were bloody and the airplanes polished. It stuck with me that he had that connection with his men and that he seemed, beyond a great pilot, a good man too. I saw that on TV too and it stuck with me. May he rest in peace ETA: I think he mentioned casually to his ground crew after a mission that winter was coming, and they took that as a hint to get the ground camo paint off. |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 5:03:11 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Charlie556: Great man and lived a great life. Not many of his generation left now. Unrelated question. How did they figure the .5 in their victory total? Was it like an assist? Yes. Two pilots shot down the same plane so both get half credit for the kill |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 5:35:14 PM EDT
[#39]
Do we have any aces still alive?
The Germans still have one ace living. |
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AZ, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 5:41:19 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By GunLvrPHD: Do we have any aces still alive? The Germans still have one ace living. Perry Dahl is still with us (at least according to Wiki; couldn't find an obituary): https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perry_J._Dahl P-38 Pacific Theater ace. I got to meet him and some of his squadron mates about 10 years ago at an event in Chino, CA. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 5:51:28 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Cobradriver]
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BillyDBerger: RIP Bud. Got to meet him, Yeager, and Hoover at Gathering of Mustangs as a teen. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By BillyDBerger: Originally Posted By PeterPangenderPhD: He flew with my great uncle during WWII in the 363rd and I had the good fortune to know him and his family. 102 of the most amazing years a man can string together, one of the kindest men around, and a real American hero. 15.5 victories and a wonderful legacy, wonderful family, good man. He’s catching California Golden Trout and eating well high up with Chuck Yeager tonight. Thank you, Bud. I never thought you would actually be gone. RIP Bud. Got to meet him, Yeager, and Hoover at Gathering of Mustangs as a teen. Yep. Those three gave a presentation at the EAA Museum during Airventure in 2003. My Brother and I both attended and had a blast. It was definitely an "R" rated presentation. Yeager mentioned that both Bud and Bob were better stick and rudder fliers but that his big advantage in combat was his eyesight. He said he could see enemy planes quit a bit further out than anyone he knew... I'm very glad I got to see them when I did. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 6:03:37 PM EDT
[#42]
Rip to a great American. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 6:28:25 PM EDT
[#43]
Stud
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Posted: 5/18/2024 6:43:57 PM EDT
[#44]
RIP to one of my heroes.
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Posted: 5/18/2024 6:48:34 PM EDT
[#45]
We should thank God that such men loved. I went down the google rabbit hole a few days ago looking up WWII aces. Realized that he was still around. Glad I did then. |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 6:52:21 PM EDT
[#46]
He kicked ass all his life. WWll, test pilot, F-105 driver.........would have loved to have met the man and buy him a beer.
Just had that All American look. R.I.P. sir. |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:14:05 PM EDT
[#47]
A great American Sky Warrior !!
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:33:36 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By GI-45: Yep, that was the show I went to in 1999. My grandfather paid for my airline ticket (thanks, grandpa!). You were at Kissimmee? |
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:46:40 PM EDT
[#49]
Had the pleasure of seeing him fly with Chuck Yeager at Oshkosh years ago. Still had some serious skills. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/18/2024 8:59:16 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryWhat an amazing man. Major at 22. I had a hard time balancing my checkbook at 22. |
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