The Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable will hold its next monthly meeting online via Zoom on Thursday, Aug. 5, at 7 p.m. The Roundtable will welcome Col. Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson. Anderson was originally scheduled to speak at the June meeting, but had to postpone.

During World War II, Anderson served two combat tours as a fighter pilot escorting heavy bombers over Europe. He was chosen as one of the original flight leaders of the 357th Fighter Group, equipped with the new P-51 Mustang. From November 1943 through January 1945, he flew 116 combat missions and in the process became the highest-scoring ace in the 363rd Fighter Squadron. He also earned the distinction of triple ace, meaning he shot down a total of at least 15 enemy aircraft during aerial combat. His plane, Old Crow, was never hit by enemy aircraft or forced to turn back for any reason. Anderson was decorated 25 times, was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame and has been awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Following World War II, he served in the Air Force as a test pilot. He has written a book about his exploits, "To Fly and Fight," co-authored by Joseph P. Hamelin. Anderson turned 99 in January and is known as the highest-scoring living U.S. fighter ace and the only surviving U.S. triple ace.

The Zoom meeting is open to the public, and no registration is required. To attend, visit http://www.centralpaww2roundtable.org.

The Central Pennsylvania World War II Roundtable is a nonprofit organization that provides a forum for World War II veterans, authors, historians, and citizens to share their knowledge and experiences related to the war.