[3] Ascani was born on May 29, 1917, in Beloit, Wisconsin, to Italian immigrants just 14 years after the Wright brothers achieved powered flight.

His interest in aviation was sparked in 1927 when he watched Charles Lindbergh fly overhead in the Spirit of St. Louis on his historic flight to Paris.

[4] After the U.S. entered World War II, Ascani was assigned as an instructor and squadron commander of the Twin Engine Advanced Flying School in Columbus, Mississippi.

[4] Although he had hopes this assignment would be a stepping stone for a combat tour in fighters, Captain Ascani was instead sent to Hendricks Field in Florida, to transition to four-engine aircraft.

A highlight of his flying career occurred in 1951 when he flew an F-86E at the National Air Show in Detroit, Michigan, and established a new 100-kilometer closed course speed record of 635 mph.

[11][12] In September 1951, Colonel Ascani was named vice commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB.

[4] After completing his overseas tour, Ascani returned to Wright-Patterson AFB in 1957 as the Deputy Chief of Staff/Plans and Operations at the Wright Air Development Center (WADC).

[12] For many years, the USAF was under increasing pressure to reduce the time needed to convert new technologies into usable weapon systems.

[6] Over the next four years, Wright Field science, engineering, and management capabilities were reorganized to comply with the details of the Report and the vision of General Schriever.

[5] In 1970, Ascani was named the senior Air Force member of the Weapon System Evaluation Group within the Office of Secretary of Defense.

[5] He is an Honorary Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots,[17] a member of the Military Aviation Hall of Fame,[18] and an honoree in the city of Lancaster's Aerospace Walk of Honor.