James H. Kasler, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

James H. Kasler

Colonel in the United States Air Force

Date of Birth: 02-May-1926

Place of Birth: South Bend, Indiana, United States

Date of Death: 24-Apr-2014

Profession: military officer

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Colonel James Helms Kasler (May 2, 1926 – April 24, 2014) was a senior officer in the United States Air Force and the only person to be awarded the Air Force Cross three times.
The Air Force Cross ranks just below the Medal of Honor as an award for extraordinary heroism in combat. Kasler was a combat veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
In Korea, as an F-86 Sabre pilot with the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, he was recognized as an ace, credited with shooting down 6 MiG-15s.
Kasler flew a combined 198 combat missions and was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam from August 1966 until March 1973. He flew a total of 101 combat missions in an F-86E Sabre and scored 6 confirmed air-to-air victories and two more damaged against MiG-15s, becoming among the first jet aces of the Korean War.