Thomas Cassady Captain Thomas Gantz Cassady was an American fighter pilot who served in two World Wars , and was successful in business during peacetime . World War I . Cassady graduated from Chicago University and went to France in the Ambulance Corps during Christmas break , 1916 . Once there , on 3 February 1917 , he enlisted in the French Foreign Legion and transferred to aviation . By July 1917 , he was receiving flight training ; on 6 October 1917 , Sergent Cassady was brevetted a pilot . On 26 December 1917 , he was assigned to Escadrille 157 , which was a Spad unit . He passed on to the United States Army Air Service in February 1918 to serve in the 103rd Aero Squadron . From there , he was once again posted to another French Spad unit , Escadrille 163 . While serving here , he scored a run of five confirmed and three unconfirmed aerial victories , between 28 May and 15 August 1918 , sharing them with William Ponder and James Connelly , among others . He then transferred to the 28th Aero Squadron as a Flight Commander , and scored four more times between 14 September and 27 October 1918 using a Spad XIII , and sharing the honors with Martinus Stenseth and George W . Furlow among others . Between the World Wars . Cassady ran an investment business in Chicago . World War II . Cassady served with the Office of Strategic Services during World War II , making four spying trips into Vichy France . He was subsequently captured by the Germans in 1942 , and freed . He then worked with the OSS in Algiers on the invasion of southern France . The liberation of Paris brought Cassady the opportunity to be in charge of all intelligence activities there . Post World War II . Cassady died of cancer on 9 July 1972 . Honors and awards . Distinguished Service Cross ( DSC ) The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Thomas G . Cassady , First Lieutenant ( Air Service ) , U . S . Army , for extraordinary heroism in action near Fismes , May 29 , 1918 , and near Epieds , France , June 5 , 1918 . On May 29 , 1918 , Lieutenant Cassady , single - handed , attacked an Lvg . German plane which crashed near Fismes . On June 5 , 1918 , as patrol leader of five spades , while being attacked by 12 German Fokkers , he brought down one of the enemy planes near Epieds and by his dash and courage broke the enemy formation . ( General Orders No . 138 , W . D . , 1918 ) Distinguished Service Cross ( DSC ) Oak Leaf Cluster The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Thomas G . Cassady , First Lieutenant ( Air Service ) , U . S . Army , for extraordinary heroism in action on August 15 , 1918 , near St . Maire . While in action as protection for a Salmson , First Lieutenant Cassady was attacked by seven Fokkers , two of which he brought down and enabled the Salmson to accomplish its mission and return safely . ( General Orders No . 138 , W . D . , 1918 ) Légion d ' Honneur He came to serve France at a time when there was no military obligation or compulsion . Object of a brilliant citation and gravely wounded in the Medical Section . He has since passed to aviation where he is indispensable in turn by the greatness of his character , his skill as a pilot , and his absolute disregard for danger . Officially credited with five enemy planes . ( Légion d ' Honneur citation ) References . " American Aces of World War 1 " Harry Dempsey . Osprey Publishing , 2001 . ISBN 1 - 84176 - 375 - 6 , ISBN 978 - 1 - 84176 - 375 - 0 .