Bud was a reconnaissance pilot in WWII, shot down over France. He is described as a Liaison Pilot in the Muster Rolls. They flew Piper L-4 (aka O-59) most commonly. From the website "Liaison Spoken Here": The dangers of low level reconnaissance are legendary. Only the most experienced pilots were selected for low level reconnaissance sorties, usually against high priority coastal targets protected by an umbrella of anti-aircraft guns and interceptor aircraft. It is a testament to the courage and daring of reconnaissance pilots that low level assignments were the most sought after, and most volunteered for, of all reconnaissance missions.

Enlistment date 10 Jan 1941. He was a First Lieutenant US Army, 79th Field Artillery Group. He is buried in Plot E Row 13 Grave 4 in the Brittany American Cemetery, St James, France. He was awarded a Purple Heart.
His military record says Edward F Washington. Service number O-1177689
NARA place of enlistment code 7282 for Spencer IA
He traveled from New York to Europe on the Queen Mary prior to D-Day.

Emmetburg Democrat 31 Aug 1944
Former Ruthven Resident Killed on French Soil
Word was received at Ruthven this week of the death of First Lt Edward F Washington, son of Mr and Mrs Edward Washington, former Ruthven residents, in action in France. The telegram Sunday stated only that he had been killed in action on July 16 and added that a letter of information would follow.
Lt. Washington was born near Ruthven Mar 16 1918 later moving with his parents to a farm near Spencer. He attended Ruthven and Spencer schools, graduating from the Spencer High school. In 1940 he enlisted in the National Guard and later transferred to the heavy artillery division of the Infantry. He took training at Fort Rosecrans CA and in Jan of 1942 he was elected to officers training and was transferred to Fort Sill Oklahoma.
In 1943 he was commissioned a Second Lieut. and was sent to an army camp near Fayetteville NC for nine months before going overseas in March of this year. In July of 1941 he was married to Alfretta McCurdy of Spencer. Besides his wife and parents he is also survived by one brother Richard of the Navy, stationed at Jacksonville FL and three sisters, Mrs Ervin Hansen of Dickens, Mrs Herbert Peters and Miss Ethel Washington both of Los Angeles CA
The young officer is a nephew of Mrs John J Callaghan of Emmetburg. His death is a shock to his many local friends.