Albert John "Ajax" Baumler started his flying career at Randolph Field and was commissioned in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) in 1935. in 1936 he resigned his commission and offered his services to the Spanish government after a Nazi-backed revolt started the civil war there. He flew I-15 (biplane) and I-16 (monoplane) fighters for the FARE (Spanish Republic's Air Force). As a contract pilot he was paid a bonus for each kill and the record keeping was quite conservative. He was credited with 4.5 kills and additional "probables" which earned no bonuses. He returned to the US in 1937 and rejoined the USAAC in 1938. He signed up for the American Volunteer Group (better known as the Flying Tigers) to fly for China against Japanese invaders. However, he was not with the Tigers in Burma because his passport was delayed due to the State Department considering his Spanish service to be controversial. In December, 1941 Baumler finally had his passport and was on a Pan Am clipper when the US was ultimately drawn into World War II. Baumler's plane was strafed by the Japanese at Wake Island and he began a long journey from Wake to China via Hawaii, the US, Africa and India. By the time he reached China, the Flying Tigers were about to be absorbed into the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) in which Baumler was already an officer. In June, 1942 (the exact date is still disputed) Baumler downed his first Japanese plane simultaneously becoming an Ace and the first American to down planes of all three Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan.)
"Ajax" Baumler was one of the few Americans who recognized the threat of international Fascism long before Pearl Harbor. Along with others who fought for the Spanish Republic and flew for the Chinese Republic and with the RAF and RCAF Baumler paid a significant price for his "premature anti-Fascism".
Following WWII, Baumler was reduced in rank to sergeant. When he retired in 1965 his wartime rank of major was restored.
During his thirty-plus years of military service, Baumler was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (with oak leaf cluster), Air Medal, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal (with foreign service star), American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with 3 campaign stars), World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with 2 campaign stars), Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 6 oak leaf clusters), Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and United Nations Korean Service Medal, and was rated a Senior Pilot.
In retirement, Baumler and his wife Erma (the former Erma Loraine Northern of Telephone, Texas, whom he had met and married while stationed at Perrin) settled in Denison. He died on August 2, 1973, at the VA Hospital in Waco, Texas and was buried in Georgetown Cemetery, outside of Pottsboro, Texas.
more information is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Baumler
http://www.warbirdforum.com/baumler.htm
"Ajax" Baumler was one of the few Americans who recognized the threat of international Fascism long before Pearl Harbor. Along with others who fought for the Spanish Republic and flew for the Chinese Republic and with the RAF and RCAF Baumler paid a significant price for his "premature anti-Fascism".
Following WWII, Baumler was reduced in rank to sergeant. When he retired in 1965 his wartime rank of major was restored.
During his thirty-plus years of military service, Baumler was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (with oak leaf cluster), Air Medal, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal (with foreign service star), American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with 3 campaign stars), World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with 2 campaign stars), Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 6 oak leaf clusters), Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and United Nations Korean Service Medal, and was rated a Senior Pilot.
In retirement, Baumler and his wife Erma (the former Erma Loraine Northern of Telephone, Texas, whom he had met and married while stationed at Perrin) settled in Denison. He died on August 2, 1973, at the VA Hospital in Waco, Texas and was buried in Georgetown Cemetery, outside of Pottsboro, Texas.
more information is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Baumler
http://www.warbirdforum.com/baumler.htm
Albert John "Ajax" Baumler started his flying career at Randolph Field and was commissioned in the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) in 1935. in 1936 he resigned his commission and offered his services to the Spanish government after a Nazi-backed revolt started the civil war there. He flew I-15 (biplane) and I-16 (monoplane) fighters for the FARE (Spanish Republic's Air Force). As a contract pilot he was paid a bonus for each kill and the record keeping was quite conservative. He was credited with 4.5 kills and additional "probables" which earned no bonuses. He returned to the US in 1937 and rejoined the USAAC in 1938. He signed up for the American Volunteer Group (better known as the Flying Tigers) to fly for China against Japanese invaders. However, he was not with the Tigers in Burma because his passport was delayed due to the State Department considering his Spanish service to be controversial. In December, 1941 Baumler finally had his passport and was on a Pan Am clipper when the US was ultimately drawn into World War II. Baumler's plane was strafed by the Japanese at Wake Island and he began a long journey from Wake to China via Hawaii, the US, Africa and India. By the time he reached China, the Flying Tigers were about to be absorbed into the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) in which Baumler was already an officer. In June, 1942 (the exact date is still disputed) Baumler downed his first Japanese plane simultaneously becoming an Ace and the first American to down planes of all three Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan.)
"Ajax" Baumler was one of the few Americans who recognized the threat of international Fascism long before Pearl Harbor. Along with others who fought for the Spanish Republic and flew for the Chinese Republic and with the RAF and RCAF Baumler paid a significant price for his "premature anti-Fascism".
Following WWII, Baumler was reduced in rank to sergeant. When he retired in 1965 his wartime rank of major was restored.
During his thirty-plus years of military service, Baumler was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (with oak leaf cluster), Air Medal, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal (with foreign service star), American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with 3 campaign stars), World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with 2 campaign stars), Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 6 oak leaf clusters), Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and United Nations Korean Service Medal, and was rated a Senior Pilot.
In retirement, Baumler and his wife Erma (the former Erma Loraine Northern of Telephone, Texas, whom he had met and married while stationed at Perrin) settled in Denison. He died on August 2, 1973, at the VA Hospital in Waco, Texas and was buried in Georgetown Cemetery, outside of Pottsboro, Texas.
more information is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Baumler
http://www.warbirdforum.com/baumler.htm
"Ajax" Baumler was one of the few Americans who recognized the threat of international Fascism long before Pearl Harbor. Along with others who fought for the Spanish Republic and flew for the Chinese Republic and with the RAF and RCAF Baumler paid a significant price for his "premature anti-Fascism".
Following WWII, Baumler was reduced in rank to sergeant. When he retired in 1965 his wartime rank of major was restored.
During his thirty-plus years of military service, Baumler was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (with oak leaf cluster), Air Medal, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal (with foreign service star), American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with 3 campaign stars), World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal (with 2 campaign stars), Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 6 oak leaf clusters), Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and United Nations Korean Service Medal, and was rated a Senior Pilot.
In retirement, Baumler and his wife Erma (the former Erma Loraine Northern of Telephone, Texas, whom he had met and married while stationed at Perrin) settled in Denison. He died on August 2, 1973, at the VA Hospital in Waco, Texas and was buried in Georgetown Cemetery, outside of Pottsboro, Texas.
more information is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Baumler
http://www.warbirdforum.com/baumler.htm
