Post-war, he achieved the rank of colonel in the United States Air Force, flew in the Vietnam War and, by the end of his career in 1974, had received 33 decorations and distinctions.

[1] The son of a railroad engineer, he was fascinated as a young boy by the sight of a Greek biplane maneuvering over his head in Kolonos and became obsessed by the wish to become a flyer.

In 1938 he was employed as a navy merchant seaman but at first chance he fled his ship to the docks of Baltimore and then to New York where he started working as a clandestine immigrant in US.

[2] Starting with only a few dollars in his pocket he worked in a bakery, then as a tray boy in Plainfield, New Jersey, and spent most of his income for English and flying lessons, finally earning a private pilot's license in 1939.

As a member of the 334th Fighter Squadron, Pisanos' plane (P-47D-23-AAF Serial Number 42-7945) was coded QP-D and had an emblem of ‘Miss Plainfield’ painted on it as nose art[1] He scored his first 2 confirmed victories over northeastern Belgium escorting US bombers while he had another 2 non-confirmed ones around the same time.

Pisanos' new plane (P-51B-7-NA, AAF Serial Number 43-6798) was also coded QP-D. On a mission over southern France on March 5, 1944, when the squadron escorted B-17 bombers to Bordeaux, he scored another 2 confirmed victories.

[2] From there he established contact with agents of the OSS, collecting information about German traffic movement in the area, and participated in a number of local fights alongside the French until the liberation of Paris.

Nearly all downed American pilots who evaded capture were returned home to the United States for fear of being recaptured by the Germans and succumbing to torture that could reveal the French helpers and their Resistance networks.

After having a short career as a commercial pilot of 4-engined airliners with TWA, he returned to the United States Air Force due to his jet-flying experience as a Captain.

[4] Major Pisanos was tasked with testing advanced jet fighters, namely the F-102 Delta Dagger, with which he often flew at the supersonic speed of Mach 1.5 at an altitude of 50,000 feet.

He also served in Vietnam and near the end of his career as a Colonel, and a member of JUSMAAG, helped the Hellenic Air Force to integrate the F-4E Phantom II jet fighter.

The award, presented by the Consul General of France in Los Angeles, recognized Pisanos' outstanding achievements in World War II as a fighter pilot and in support of the French Resistance.