Steve Pisanos, United States Air Force Fighter Ace.
He emigrated from Greece at the beginning of World War II. He initially served with the British Royal Air Force No. 71 Eagle Squadron flying the Spitfire and later, after becoming the first American citizen naturalized while on foreign soil, became part of the United States Army Air Corps 4th Fighter Group flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang.
During World War II, he flew 110 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 10 enemy aircraft. On the day he scored his final 2 victories, he was forced to belly land his Mustang in occupied France due to loss of engine power, evaded capture, made contact, and worked with the French Resistance underground on covert operations against the Germans until the liberation of Paris, when he was repatriated.
He was then ordered back to the US with the task of flight-testing captured enemy aircraft to analyze their performance. His career as a test pilot after the war progressed into the jet age, flying at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio and Muroc (now Edwards AFB) in California with his friends and fellow legendary pilots like Gabby Gabreski, Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover.
He later flew another 375 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Legion of Merit (3), Distinguished Flying Cross (5), the Air Medal (11), the Purple Heart, and numerous other awards. He served his final tour of duty in Greece as US military liaison and was responsible for the Hellenic Air Force acquiring and integrating the F-4E Phantom II jet fighter.
He retired from the Air Force in 1974 and lived in San Diego with his wife Sophia. They had two children - Jeff and Diane. His autobiography "The Flying Greek" was published in April 2008. Later that year he was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, and prior to his death, the Congressional Gold Medal.
In his final years he traveled widely, frequently speaking publicly about his extraordinary life experiences, including a trip back to his old base at Duxford, where he took to the skies over England one final time in a Spitfire. Up until only a few weeks before his passing, he remained active with various Veteran and Pilot groups such as the American Fighter Aces Association, and regularly attended local meetings of the Palomar Hangar of Quiet Birdmen, the Old Bold Pilots in Oceanside, and Bagels & Baloney near his home in Rancho Bernardo.
Above all, he was fiercely patriotic and deeply loved the United States of America. Even in his nineties, this writer heard him say more than once with fire in his eyes, that he would fight again to protect the freedom his country stood for, which had given him so many unimaginable opportunities. He believed with absolute conviction, and would impress humbly, yet with the full weight of his stature as a war hero behind him upon anyone who would listen, that America is like no other; the greatest country in the world, and worth the full measure of any sacrifice required to preserve it that way.
He emigrated from Greece at the beginning of World War II. He initially served with the British Royal Air Force No. 71 Eagle Squadron flying the Spitfire and later, after becoming the first American citizen naturalized while on foreign soil, became part of the United States Army Air Corps 4th Fighter Group flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang.
During World War II, he flew 110 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 10 enemy aircraft. On the day he scored his final 2 victories, he was forced to belly land his Mustang in occupied France due to loss of engine power, evaded capture, made contact, and worked with the French Resistance underground on covert operations against the Germans until the liberation of Paris, when he was repatriated.
He was then ordered back to the US with the task of flight-testing captured enemy aircraft to analyze their performance. His career as a test pilot after the war progressed into the jet age, flying at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio and Muroc (now Edwards AFB) in California with his friends and fellow legendary pilots like Gabby Gabreski, Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover.
He later flew another 375 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Legion of Merit (3), Distinguished Flying Cross (5), the Air Medal (11), the Purple Heart, and numerous other awards. He served his final tour of duty in Greece as US military liaison and was responsible for the Hellenic Air Force acquiring and integrating the F-4E Phantom II jet fighter.
He retired from the Air Force in 1974 and lived in San Diego with his wife Sophia. They had two children - Jeff and Diane. His autobiography "The Flying Greek" was published in April 2008. Later that year he was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, and prior to his death, the Congressional Gold Medal.
In his final years he traveled widely, frequently speaking publicly about his extraordinary life experiences, including a trip back to his old base at Duxford, where he took to the skies over England one final time in a Spitfire. Up until only a few weeks before his passing, he remained active with various Veteran and Pilot groups such as the American Fighter Aces Association, and regularly attended local meetings of the Palomar Hangar of Quiet Birdmen, the Old Bold Pilots in Oceanside, and Bagels & Baloney near his home in Rancho Bernardo.
Above all, he was fiercely patriotic and deeply loved the United States of America. Even in his nineties, this writer heard him say more than once with fire in his eyes, that he would fight again to protect the freedom his country stood for, which had given him so many unimaginable opportunities. He believed with absolute conviction, and would impress humbly, yet with the full weight of his stature as a war hero behind him upon anyone who would listen, that America is like no other; the greatest country in the world, and worth the full measure of any sacrifice required to preserve it that way.
Steve Pisanos, United States Air Force Fighter Ace.
He emigrated from Greece at the beginning of World War II. He initially served with the British Royal Air Force No. 71 Eagle Squadron flying the Spitfire and later, after becoming the first American citizen naturalized while on foreign soil, became part of the United States Army Air Corps 4th Fighter Group flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang.
During World War II, he flew 110 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 10 enemy aircraft. On the day he scored his final 2 victories, he was forced to belly land his Mustang in occupied France due to loss of engine power, evaded capture, made contact, and worked with the French Resistance underground on covert operations against the Germans until the liberation of Paris, when he was repatriated.
He was then ordered back to the US with the task of flight-testing captured enemy aircraft to analyze their performance. His career as a test pilot after the war progressed into the jet age, flying at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio and Muroc (now Edwards AFB) in California with his friends and fellow legendary pilots like Gabby Gabreski, Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover.
He later flew another 375 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Legion of Merit (3), Distinguished Flying Cross (5), the Air Medal (11), the Purple Heart, and numerous other awards. He served his final tour of duty in Greece as US military liaison and was responsible for the Hellenic Air Force acquiring and integrating the F-4E Phantom II jet fighter.
He retired from the Air Force in 1974 and lived in San Diego with his wife Sophia. They had two children - Jeff and Diane. His autobiography "The Flying Greek" was published in April 2008. Later that year he was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, and prior to his death, the Congressional Gold Medal.
In his final years he traveled widely, frequently speaking publicly about his extraordinary life experiences, including a trip back to his old base at Duxford, where he took to the skies over England one final time in a Spitfire. Up until only a few weeks before his passing, he remained active with various Veteran and Pilot groups such as the American Fighter Aces Association, and regularly attended local meetings of the Palomar Hangar of Quiet Birdmen, the Old Bold Pilots in Oceanside, and Bagels & Baloney near his home in Rancho Bernardo.
Above all, he was fiercely patriotic and deeply loved the United States of America. Even in his nineties, this writer heard him say more than once with fire in his eyes, that he would fight again to protect the freedom his country stood for, which had given him so many unimaginable opportunities. He believed with absolute conviction, and would impress humbly, yet with the full weight of his stature as a war hero behind him upon anyone who would listen, that America is like no other; the greatest country in the world, and worth the full measure of any sacrifice required to preserve it that way.
He emigrated from Greece at the beginning of World War II. He initially served with the British Royal Air Force No. 71 Eagle Squadron flying the Spitfire and later, after becoming the first American citizen naturalized while on foreign soil, became part of the United States Army Air Corps 4th Fighter Group flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang.
During World War II, he flew 110 combat missions and was credited with the destruction of 10 enemy aircraft. On the day he scored his final 2 victories, he was forced to belly land his Mustang in occupied France due to loss of engine power, evaded capture, made contact, and worked with the French Resistance underground on covert operations against the Germans until the liberation of Paris, when he was repatriated.
He was then ordered back to the US with the task of flight-testing captured enemy aircraft to analyze their performance. His career as a test pilot after the war progressed into the jet age, flying at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio and Muroc (now Edwards AFB) in California with his friends and fellow legendary pilots like Gabby Gabreski, Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover.
He later flew another 375 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Legion of Merit (3), Distinguished Flying Cross (5), the Air Medal (11), the Purple Heart, and numerous other awards. He served his final tour of duty in Greece as US military liaison and was responsible for the Hellenic Air Force acquiring and integrating the F-4E Phantom II jet fighter.
He retired from the Air Force in 1974 and lived in San Diego with his wife Sophia. They had two children - Jeff and Diane. His autobiography "The Flying Greek" was published in April 2008. Later that year he was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, and prior to his death, the Congressional Gold Medal.
In his final years he traveled widely, frequently speaking publicly about his extraordinary life experiences, including a trip back to his old base at Duxford, where he took to the skies over England one final time in a Spitfire. Up until only a few weeks before his passing, he remained active with various Veteran and Pilot groups such as the American Fighter Aces Association, and regularly attended local meetings of the Palomar Hangar of Quiet Birdmen, the Old Bold Pilots in Oceanside, and Bagels & Baloney near his home in Rancho Bernardo.
Above all, he was fiercely patriotic and deeply loved the United States of America. Even in his nineties, this writer heard him say more than once with fire in his eyes, that he would fight again to protect the freedom his country stood for, which had given him so many unimaginable opportunities. He believed with absolute conviction, and would impress humbly, yet with the full weight of his stature as a war hero behind him upon anyone who would listen, that America is like no other; the greatest country in the world, and worth the full measure of any sacrifice required to preserve it that way.
Inscription
STEVE N
PISANOS
COLONEL
US AIR FORCE
WORLD WAR II
KOREA VIETNAM
NOV 10 1919
JUN 6 2016
LM DFC PH MSM
FLYING GREEK
BLUE SKIES
