‘A hero to everybody’

At the time, there wasn’t a bigger thrill for 12-year-old Denny Sherman than when U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Walker “Bud” Mahurin picked him up from school by surprise.

Mahurin had never met Sherman, but had been exchanging letters with the boy, who was 10 years younger, in the months up to that day. Sherman first heard from his dad about a young man learning to fly at the airport. He befriended Mahurin’s mother and kept tabs on her son through letters.

When Mahurin got his pilot wings and returned home for a short while, he made sure to meet his young friend in person.

“Right away, he was a hero to me the rest of my life. Later, he would be a hero to everybody,” Sherman said.

Mahurin, who was one of the military’s most successful ace pilots with more than 24 confirmed victories through two wars, died Tuesday at his home on Newport Island. He was 91.

“He didn’t take what he did as heroism. It was just what he did for his country,” said Mahurin’s daughter, Valerie Miller. “He’ll be remembered by the public for his bravery and selfless dedication to this country and its servicemen. To me, he was the funniest, kindest, greatest man I’ve ever known who took everything in stride.”

Mahurin’s military career is the stuff of legend. He flew in both the Pacific and over Europe in World War II, downing 19.25 planes. Pilots are awarded fractions of a victory — thus the reference to the quarter of a plane — when more than one plane is involved in shooting down the enemy.

After being shot down over Europe and surviving with the French Resistance, Mahurin was airlifted out and got a job with the Pentagon.

When the Korean War started, Mahurin requested to serve again. He wasn’t any less effective with the F-86 Sabre jet than he was with the propeller planes of yore. He took down four enemy planes before being shot down by ground fire.

He was captured by enemy soldiers and spent 16 months in a prisoner of war camp.

Mahurin amassed nearly 30 medals of valor in his military career and downed more than 24 planes.

He spent the later part of his life speaking to young servicemen and women and talking to children about his experiences.

“Boy, could he tell stories. He could remember anything,” Miller said. “But he was pretty modest. He took it all in stride. He was almost embarrassed about what he did. He’d say, ‘It wasn’t me who shot them down. It was my wingman.’”

Those who knew him immediately recalled Mahurin’s smile and upbeat, humble nature.

“He never wanted to talk about himself,” Sherman said. “He always wanted to talk about the future. He’d always ask what you were doing. He was really an up, up person. Very intelligent, can talk on any subject. He was my hero long before he was a hero to anybody. I’ll always remember Bud.”

Mahurin is survived by his wife of more than 40 years, Joan; daughters, Miller and Lynn Vaughn; sons, George and Michael; and six grandchildren.