Alessandro Resch

Tenente-colonnello Alessandro Resch was an Italian World War I flying ace credited with five confirmed aerial victories (though there is historical evidence of a sixth). After surviving World War I, he would become a pioneering airline captain, flying 500,000 miles between 1928 and 1935. He would return to the Italian Air Force as a major in 1935, rising to tenente-colonnello by 1939. His participation in World War II is unknown.

Early life and service Alessandro Resch was born in Avezzano, Kingdom of Italy on 19 November 1892. He was the son of a businessman. He was interested in cycling as a youth. When he was conscripted, he went into a cyclist battalion of Bersaglieri. He was promoted to caporale and became a truck driver carrying messages to the front. After a promotion to sergente, Resch requested and received pilot's training as an officer cadet. On 9 June 1916, Resch evacuated a wounded officer in his truck during the fighting for Monfalcone. He received his first and second pilot's licenses on Voisins, on 16 June and 1 July 1916.