Albert Baumler Albert John " Ajax " Baumler ( April 17 , 1914 – August 2 , 1973 ) was an American fighter ace during the Spanish Civil War and World War II . Biography . He was born in Bayonne , New Jersey . In 1935 - 1936 , he underwent primary pilot training at Randolph Field and was commissioned in the United States Army Air Corps . After the start of the Spanish Civil War , Baumler resigned his commission and offered his services to the Republican side . He went to Spain and served there from December 27 , 1936 , on a contract that promised him a salary of $ 1 , 500 a month plus $ 1 , 000 for each aircraft he shot down . In February 1937 , he was assigned to the Escuadrilla Kosakov fighter unit under Russian command , flying a biplane Polikarpov I - 15 " Chato " . In 1937 , he flew many combat missions against the Fascists , generally dueling against German and Italian aircraft . On March 16 , he was credited with his first victory , over an Italian Fiat CR . 32 fighter , in a team with A . Zaitsev . On March 20 , he was credited with another CR . 32 , 10 km southeast of Brihuega , as his first individual kill . On April 17 , he claimed a German Heinkel He 51 fighter from the Legion Condor over Teruel , and with a second He - 51 credited as probably shot down . In late May 1937 , Baumler was assigned to the 1st Escuadrilla de Moscas unit , commanded by the Russian Ivan Lakyeyev , flying a faster Polikarpov I - 16 " Mosca " fighter . On June 2 , he claimed another CR . 32 in the Segovia area , and on June 14 another over Huesca . On July 8 , he probably shot down his last CR . 32 . He became a close friend of another American mercenary pilot flying for the Spanish Republic , Frank Tinker , who was posted to this squadron after having fought successfully with the ' Lacalle Squadron ' . Baumler flew his last missions on July 15 , then returned to the United States in August . In total , he was credited with shooting down four enemy planes individually and the fifth as a team victory ( sometimes counted as 0 . 5 ) , and with two probables . In 1938 , Baumler rejoined the U . S . Army as a second lieutenant , but in 1941 he resigned his commission again to join the American Volunteer Group ( " Flying Tigers " ) then training in Burma . He was however refused a passport due to his Spanish combat . He returned to the U . S . Army , and in December was assigned to the U . S . Military Mission in China , probably with the expectation that he would serve as AMISSCA ' s liaison to the AVG , which was in need of experienced staff officers . He flew east on a Pan Am Clipper flying boat that was carrying tires and spare parts for the AVG fighter planes . The cargo was dumped , and Baumler and the aircraft returned after it was strafed at Wake Island on the morning of December 7 , 1941 - the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . In February 1942 , Baumler served in the 45th Pursuit Squadron , and in May he was sent to China as a U . S . Army captain . He was credited with two aerial victories , on June 3 and 22 , though these cannot be confirmed , and the first is probably erroneous . From July 4 , 1942 , he served in the successor of the Flying Tigers , the 75th Fighter Squadron of the 23rd Fighter Group as a pilot and as squadron adjutant under Major David Lee " Tex " Hill . Flying P - 40E fighters , he was credited with four or five further Japanese aircraft from July to September 1942 , his last victories . From December 11 , 1942 to February 18 , 1943 , he commanded the 74th FS . He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal , and was promoted to major . He seems to have been the first American pilot credited with destroying aircraft of all three Axis Powers . The end of the war resulted in the rapid demobilization of the Air Force and Baumler , lacking a college degree and with a history of drinking problems and former association with the Soviets , was turned down for a regular commission , and accepted a permanent rank of master sergeant in order to remain in the service . In the immediate postwar period , he served at Gander Air Force Base in Newfoundland . During the Korean War , he served as a Ground Controlled Approach ( GCA ) operator and was selected as the controller to direct the landing of General ( and President - Elect ) Dwight D . Eisenhower ' s plane when he made his famous visit to Korea . It is said that during the Korean War he was responsible for a radar interception unit and from the way some Migs were manoeuvering he identified some of the Russian pilots as his former wingmen in Spain . He used to refer to them , laughingly , as ' My Boys ' . His final duty station was Perrin Air Force Base in Texas , where he met and married Erma Loraine Northern of Telephone , Texas . He separated from the Air Force in September 1965 and was placed on the retired list at his reserve rank of major based on his combat decorations . He died on August 2 , 1973 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Waco , Texas and was buried in Georgetown Cemetery , outside of Pottsboro , Texas .