Bud Mahurin

Who was Bud Mahurin?

Colonel Walker Melville Mahurin — known as Bud Mahurin — was a United States Air Force officer and aviator. During World War II, while serving in the United States Army Air Forces, he was a noted flying ace.

Mahurin was the first American pilot to become a double ace in the European Theater. He was the only United States Air Force pilot to shoot down enemy planes in both the European and Pacific Theaters and the Korean War. During World War II he was credited with 20.75 aerial victories, making him the sixth-highest American P-47 ace. He was credited with shooting down 3.5 MiG-15s in Korea, giving him a total of 24.25 aircraft destroyed in aerial combat.