First Lieutenant Spiros (Steve) N.
Pisanos
By
Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Aviation
Art Store
First Lieutenant Spiros (Steve) N.
Pisanos
Steve was born in
Athens
,
Greece
on November 10, 1919. His desire to become an American was great so he sailed
the
Atlantic
on what is called a “tramp steamer.” Being somewhat illegal, Steve actually
jumped ship into water and swam ashore where speaking no English he quickly
became embedded into the American way of life.
His first job was in a
bakery and worked in a hotel saving his hard earned money in order to take
flying lessons. The war in
Europe
was becoming furious so in August 1941, Steve still not yet a citizen joined
the Royal Air Force.
Steve obtained his flight
training in both
California
and
England
. He was eventually assigned to the 268 Squadron but was then transferred to the
71 Squadron which was one on the newly formed American Eagle Squadron which
comprised of the American volunteers. With the 71 Squadron, Steve flew the
famous Spitfire. Soon there after American entered the war and was stationing
air groups in
England
. Steve then transferred to the 4th Fighter Group in September 1942.
Once recruited into the Army
Air corp, Steve was commissioned a Lieutenant and in May became an official
American citizen. This act seems simple enough yet this was the first time in
history someone became a
U.S.
citizen while outside the Continental U.S.
Steve flew the P-47
Razorback with the 334th Fighter Squadron in which he claimed his
first aerial victory on August 12, 1943 by shooting down a Messerschmitt 109
three miles west of Walchem. Steve became a double ace with ten aerial
victories, badly damaging four, Focke Wulf Fw-190’s and a Bf-109. On March 5,
1944 as he was returning from a mission to
Limoges
and
Bordeaux
,
France
when the engine of his P-51 Mustang engine quit. Steve was forced to crash land
south of
Le Havre
. He was able to evade German patrols for six months as well as participate with
the French resistance. Over that time he was harbored by sixteen different
French families. He even worked with the
OSS
in sabotaging German facilities. Steve finally returned to
England
on September 2, 1944 after the liberation of
Paris
. After the war ended Steve for a time became a test pilot at
Wright Field
,
Ohio
and then was assigned to NATO working in
Italy
from 1952 to 1954. He later served with NORAD, Air Defense Command and the USAF
in
Europe
. Steve also served a tour in
Viet Nam
in 1967 to 1968 before retiring as a Colonel in 1973.
Steve was officially
credited with ten confirmed aerial victories and one damaged. He was awarded the
Legion of Merit with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross with four
Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters. He
was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Silver Star, the British Star
and Aircrew Medal and finally the Vietnamese Medal of Honor First Class.
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December 2, 2008