He joined the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, and during World War I served with the American Expeditionary Force on the Western Front as a pilot with the 91st Aero Squadron.

He retired from the United States Air Force in 1948, and was director of export and vice president of Republic Aviation until 1957.

He participated in the United States occupation of Veracruz from May to October 1914, when the 19th Infantry returned to Galveston, Texas.

[2] Scanlon was at San Antonio, Texas, from September 1915 to March 1916, at which point he was assigned to the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps.

[2] Scanlon assumed command of the 2d Aero Squadron, which was then flying seaplanes from Fort Mills on Corregidor Island in the Philippines.

He returned to the United States in November 1917, and was posted to Kelly Field and then Fort Worth, Texas for additional training.

He joined the American Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in France, and was a pilot with the 91st Aero Squadron until September 1918, when he assumed command of Colombey-les-Belles aerodrome during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

He had been an air attaché in Rome and London for the best part of the last ten years, with a tour as intelligence officer in Washington, I don't know why they sent him up to New Guinea; he was not an operator and everyone from the kids on up knew it.

[4] Scanlon returned to the United States in September 1942, and became the commanding general of the 38th Flying Training Wing at Roswell Army Air Field in New Mexico, and then the 36th Flying Training Wing at Santa Ana Army Air Base in California.

[1] Scanlon died from heart failure at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C., on 26 January 1980.