RAF 71st Eagle Squadron Spitfire Mk VB Double Ace Steve Pisanos Art Print

Colonel Steve Pisanos flew the Spitfire Mk Vb (EN-783 / XR-K), when he was assigned to the 334^th Fighter Squadron, 4^th Fighter Group, 8^th USAAF in Europe. After migrating to the United States in 1938 from Athens, Greece, he joined the British Royal Air Force on November 6, 1941 and flew his first combat mission with the RAF’s 268 Fighter Squadron in August, 1942. In September, 1942 he joined the 71^st Eagle Squadron, and was later absorbed into the USAAF as a 2^nd Lt. on September 29, 1942. He is the first person in U.S. history to become an American citizen on foreign soil, when he took the oath of allegiance in England on May 3, 1943. He flew 110 combat missions in the Spitfire, P-47, and P-51. He is credited with 10 air-to-air victories, plus one damaged and one probable. After the war, he was a test pilot at Wright Field, Ohio. He flew 375 combat missions in the C-7 Caribou during the Vietnam War, in which he transported supplies to US Army Special Forces camps throughout Southeast Asia. He retired from the United States Air Force on December 1, 1973.

He was awarded the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with four Oak Leaf Clusters with Combat V, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with eight Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation with five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European Theatre of Operations with two Stars, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four Battle Stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, British World War II Victory Medal, British 1939-1945 Star, British Air Crew Europe Star, British Defense Medal, French Distinguished Unit Citation, French Croix De Guerre with Silver Star, Royal Air Force Medallion, Vietnamese Medal of Honor – First Class, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Service Award Ribbon with three Oak Leaf Clusters. In 2010, the French Government awarded him the French Legion d’Honneur.

A very special “thank you” to Col. Steve Pisanos and Mr. Jack Gooden for their assistance on this project.