World War II Honoree

Steve N. Pisanos

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

San Diego, California

Honored By

Mr. Jeffrey S. Pisanos

JOINED THE BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE IN AUGUST 1941. BEGAN FLIGHT TRAINING AT THE POLARIS FLIGHT ACADEMIES IN GLENDALE AND LANCASTER CALIFORNIA. UPON ENLISTING IN THE ROYAL AIR FORCE, HE COMPLETED OFFICERS TRAINING SCHOOL AT COSFORD, ENGLAND AND OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT AT OLD SARUM ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION. AS PILOT OFFICER, WAS POSTED TO THE 268TH FIGHTER SQUADRON AT NEWMARKET, ENGLAND, FLYING P-51A AIRCRAFT. LATER HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE 71ST DEBDEN ROYAL AIR FORCE STATION, ENGLAND. WHEN THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES 4TH FIGHTER GROUP ABSORBED THE AMERICAN MEMBERS OF THE EAGLE SQUADRONS IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 1942, HE WAS COMMISSIONED A LIEUTENANT IN THE AIR FORCE. ON MAY 3, 1943, HE WAS NATURALIZED AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN IN LONDON, ENGLAND, BECOMING THE FIRST INDIVIDUAL IN AMERICAN HISTORY TO BE NATURALIZED OUTSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. FLYING HIS P-47, 'MISS PLAINFIELD', OUT OF DEBDEN, ENGLAND, WITH THE 334TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 4TH FIGHTER GROUP, THE LIEUTENANT, KNOWN AS THE FLYING GREEK, SCORED HIS 1ST VICTORY ON AUGUST 12, 1943 WHEN HE DOWNED AN ME-109 NEAR WALCHERN, GERMANY ON JANUARY 1, 1944. HE BECAME AN ACE CREDITED WITH 5 CONFIRMED VICTORIES. ON MARCH 5, 1944 HE OBTAINED HIS 10TH VICTORY.