Bud Anderson was born on January 13, 1922, in Oakland, California. He enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on January 19, 1942, and was commissioned a 2d Lt and awarded his pilot wings at Luke Field, Arizona, on September 29, 1942. His first assignment was flying P-39 Airacobra fighters with the 329th Fighter Squadron of the 328th Fighter Group at Hamilton Field and then at the Oakland Municipal Airport, California, from September 1942 to March 1943. Lt Anderson was then assigned to the 363rd Fighter Squadron of the 357th Fighter Group at Tonopah, Nevada, in March 1943, moving to various bases in California from May to October 1943, then at Casper, Wyoming, from October to November 1943, and finally deploying to England in November 1943. He completed two tours in the European Theater, during which time he was credited with the destruction of 16.25 enemy aircraft in aerial combat plus 2 probables and 2 damaged, and 1 enemy aircraft on the ground while strafing an enemy airfield. Capt Anderson returned to the U.S. in January 1945, serving at Perrin Field, Texas, until October 1945, when he was assigned as a recruiter in Ohio. He served as a recruiter until May 1948, when he transferred to the Flight Test Division with Headquarters Air Material Command at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. Anderson served as a test pilot at Wright-Patterson from May 1948 to February 1953, and then at Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Pentagon from February 1953 to September 1954. He attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, from September 1954 to August 1955, and then served as Director of Operations for the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Osan AB, South Korean, from August 1955 to February 1956. Col Anderson was commander of the 69th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing from February to August 1956, and then served as Executive Officer with the 6511th Parachute Test Group at NAAS El Centro, California, from August 1956 to November 1957. His next assignment was as Assistant Chief and then Chief of the Flight Test Operations Division at Edwards AFB from November 1957 to August 1962, followed by Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, from August 1962 to July 1963. He was Deputy Director of Flight Test and then Assistant Deputy for System Test at Edwards AFB from July 1963 to August 1965, followed by service as Deputy Director and then Director for Operations with the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Kadena AB, Okinawa, from August 1965 to June 1967. Col Anderson was commander of the 18th TFW from June to December 1967, and then served another tour with Headquarters USAF in the Pentagon until December 1969. He next served as commander of the 355th TFW at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from June to December 1970, followed by service as Chief of the Aircraft Division with Material Command at McClellan AFB, California, until his retirement from the Air Force on February 29, 1972.

His 1st (of 5) Distinguished Flying Cross Citation reads:

For extraordinary achievement and heroism in aerial combat and the destruction of three enemy airplanes over enemy occupied Continental Europe. The skillful and zealous manner in which Captain Anderson has sought out the enemy and destroyed him, his devotion to duty and courage under all conditions serve as an inspiration to his fellow flyers. His actions on all these occasions reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.