Bud Day
A fighter pilot who survived brutal captivity in Vietnam and became the only serviceman ever awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross.
1925–2013 (age 88)·United States Air Force Medal of Honor recipient·Birthday: February 24·The Greatest Generation
Biography
George 'Bud' Day's life was a testament to almost unimaginable resilience. A farm boy from Iowa, he flew combat missions in World War II and Korea before becoming a fighter pilot in Vietnam. In 1967, his F-100 Super Sabre was shot down over North Vietnam. Despite a broken arm and a damaged parachute, he evaded capture for days, only to be caught and subjected to years of torture as a prisoner of war in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. His defiance as a senior ranking officer became the stuff of military legend. After his release in 1973, he practiced law, becoming a fierce advocate for veterans' rights. His story is not one of a distant hero, but of a man whose physical and moral courage was forged in the most punishing of fires.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bud was born in 1925, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bud Was Born
The biggest hits of 1925
#1 Movie
The Gold Rush
Bud's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1925Born
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1930Started school
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1938Became a teenager
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Could drive
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1943Could vote
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Turned 21
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1955Turned 30
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 40
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 50
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 60
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 70
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 80
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2013Died at 88
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership and escape attempts while a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.
- Became the only person to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross, the latter for his heroism during his initial evasion and capture.
- Served as a combat pilot in three major conflicts: World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
- Was posthumously promoted to the rank of brigadier general by an act of Congress in 2018.
Did You Know?
He earned his law degree from the University of South Dakota while serving on active duty in the Air Force.
After his release, he successfully sued the U.S. government over broken retirement pay promises, a landmark case for veterans.
His Medal of Honor citation details how he sang 'The Star-Spangled Banner' loudly to annoy his captors after being tortured.
““The United States is the greatest country on the face of the earth, and it’s worth fighting for.””
