ΕΑΝ ΠΡΟΤΙΜΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΤΗ ΣΗΜΑΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΟΝΗΣ
By Helleniscope’s Editorial Team
In the dark years of World War II, when Greece lay under brutal Axis occupation and Europe burned in conflict, a remarkable military unit was formed in the United States: the 122nd Infantry Battalion, forever remembered as “The Greek Battalion.”
This extraordinary battalion was activated in January 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and trained at Camp Carson — today known as Fort Carson — in the shadow of Colorado’s Cheyenne Mountains.
The battalion’s name carried deep symbolism. “122nd” commemorated the 122 years since Greek independence from Ottoman rule in 1821. It was more than a military designation; it was a tribute to the long struggle for freedom that united Greeks and Americans alike.
A Battalion Born from Two Homelands
The unit was composed of Greek Americans and Greek nationals, many of whom were not yet American citizens. Some were sons of immigrants born in cities like Boston, Chicago, and New York. Others had fled occupied Greece and arrived in America determined to continue the fight against fascism.
Despite differences in language and upbringing, they quickly forged a brotherhood. Greek nationals taught the younger Americans Greek songs, dances, and traditions, while the Americans helped their comrades improve their English.
Leading them was Major Peter D. Clainos, the first Greek-born graduate of West Point. Born in Sparta, Greece, Clainos immigrated to the United States as a child and rose to become one of the most respected Greek-American officers of the war.
Training at Camp Carson
At Camp Carson, the men endured months of grueling infantry training. The mountainous Colorado terrain resembled parts of Greece, preparing them physically and mentally for the dangerous missions many would later undertake behind enemy lines.
One of the most historic moments in the battalion’s short existence came during its activation ceremonies. The soldiers marched before President Roosevelt and General George C. Marshall carrying both the American and Greek flags — an extraordinarily rare honor for a foreign national flag on American soil during a U.S. military review.
Official wartime photographs captured the battalion passing the reviewing stand and assembling beneath the Colorado sky during its activation ceremonies.
Volunteers for a Near-Suicidal Mission
By mid-1943, officers from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) — the precursor to the CIA — arrived at Camp Carson with a request.
They needed volunteers for covert operations behind enemy lines in occupied Greece and the Balkans. The missions would involve sabotage, guerrilla warfare, intelligence gathering, and direct cooperation with resistance fighters. The estimated casualty rate was said to be as high as 95 percent.
Major Clainos later recalled that when volunteers were requested, every man in the battalion stepped forward. Initially the OSS sought only 15 volunteers; after reviewing the battalion, they increased the number to 200.
One hundred sixty members ultimately joined the elite Greek/US Operational Group, trained as commandos for dangerous operations deep inside occupied territory.
Behind Enemy Lines in Greece
In 1944, these OSS commandos infiltrated Greece by parachute or by small boats under cover of darkness. Once inside the country, they joined the Greek Resistance fighters known as the Antartes.
Working with British special operations forces and local resistance networks, they sabotaged German supply lines and disrupted the Wehrmacht’s retreat from Greece. Bridges were blown apart. Railroad tracks were destroyed. Convoys and trains were ambushed. Communications were severed.
These operations significantly aided Allied efforts in the Balkans and contributed to the liberation of Greece from Nazi occupation.
Much of the Operational Group’s history remained classified for decades after the war. According to historians, records concerning these ethnic OSS units were sealed until the late 1980s.
A Legacy of Courage
Although the 122nd Infantry Battalion existed for only a short time as a unified unit, its legacy became legendary among Greek Americans and military historians alike.
The men of the “Greek Battalion” embodied two patriotic traditions simultaneously:
- loyalty to the United States,
- and devotion to the liberation of their ancestral homeland.
Many never returned home. Others carried the memories of occupied Greece, covert warfare, and fallen comrades for the rest of their lives.
Today, during Memorial Day, their story reminds us that the Allied victory in World War II was built not only by massive armies, but also by small groups of courageous volunteers willing to risk everything for freedom.
The soldiers of the Greek Battalion carried two flags — but fought for one shared cause: liberty.
May 24, 2026, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
The Greek Battalion has a fascinating history.
Before becoming part of the US Army, these infantrymen were initially organized as a secret private militia. They were composed of Greek American volunteers. The plan was to sneak them into Axis-occupied Greece to support the resistance.
The man behind this “Greek Irregular Project,” was Ulius L. Amoss, a flamboyant philhellene who led the YMCA in Saloniki in the 1920s. (He did amazing things there). He later became the #2 man in the OSS, under William J. Donovan, and held the rank of colonel at the Ninth Army.
Amoss conducted his recruiting out of his office at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, next to the Greek consulate at the time, as well as the British intelligence services.
At the Greek Irregular Project, Amoss was assisted by Leon Melas, who was an assistant to Emanuel Tsouderos, Greece’s premier-in-exile, and a nephew of Pavlos Meals. Interestingly, the prime minister’s son, John Tsouderos, was among the 180 or so special ops members who were parachuted into Greece.
Roosevelt essentially absorbed this group into the US Army as the 122nd Infantry Battalion. It almost grew to a Brigade, with almost a thousand volunteers!
President Roosevelt and his chief of staff, George C. Marshall, inspected the Greek Battalion at Camp Carson on April 24, 1943. They marched with both the US flag and the Greek flag that day.
By the time the Operational Units infiltrated Greece in 1944, the war was almost over. Italy had surrendered and the Germans were in retreat. Nonetheless, they engaged in sabotage operations.
Churchill complained to FDR that these OSS operatives interfered with British activities and got engaged with political disputes, namely Churchill’s plan to return the exiled king.
The members of the Greek Battalion, those who went to Greece and those who stayed behind, are true heroes! They deserve our recognition, our gratitude, and our emulation. We all salute them!
Leonidas,
An interesting fact that explains why these activities remained secret till recently, is that captain John Fatseas cooperated with the communist leader of ELAS Aris Velouchiotis. If you Google it, you can see the pictures of Fatseas and Velouchiotis in 1944 at the liberation of Kalamata!
It becomes even more interesting, if you follow Fatseas’ later life and realize that he was the CIA handler of dictator George Papadopoulos!
ΠΓ,
That is interesting, all in a single lifetime!
By 1944, everyone knew that ELAS was not merely an anti-Axis resistance movement but actually Marxist-Leninist and pro-USSR. In fact, the Greek “civil war” had already started before the invaders had left, with the goal of turning Greece communist, not just repelling the Nazis.
The USSR was indeed our war ally against the Axis so, as WW II was wrapping up, it was difficult for Truman to consolidate public opinion against Stalin to confront the new, postwar reality. Readers Digest, a conservative magazine, called Stalin “Uncle Joe”, so now they had to expose Stalin’s Gulag camps, executions, etc., to change that popular image and conform with the new reality.
A major critic of this turn of events, which developed into the Cold War, was FDR’s former vice president, Henry Wallace. But Wallace was dropped from FDR’s ticket in the 1944 Democratic National Convention and replaced by the more hawkish Harry S Truman — who then succeeded FDR.
Among Greek-Americans, Ahepa’s George Vournas, whose brother was with ELAS and had previously been jailed by Metaxas, lobbied FDR to support ELAS and block King George’s return. However, FDR was a lot more informed about the situation in Greece than Vournas thought, and he had different ideas. Ambassador Mac Veagh, among others, gave FDR meticulous reports.
With FDR’s death in April 1945, Truman took over and US attitudes toward communism became crystal clear.
Vournas was removed from Ahepa’s leadership, and he spent the rest of his time feeding hit pieces against Truman to Drew Pearson’s syndicated column.
Men like William Helis, a major donor to Truman’s campaigns, led Ahepa in the late 1940s. Helis supported Truman’s creation of NATO as part of a strong military containment of the Soviet Union, obviously with Greece in the US camp.
Greece was by this time at the epicenter of Cold War fault lines. The misguided and brutal communist uprising in Greece — which Stalin technically disavowed, according to Milovan Dilas! — cost an additional 40,000 Greek lives.
All this should mean something as we honor those who lost their lives so we may live free and, indeed, to be able to squabble!
Happy Memorial Day!
Leonidas,
By the way, Fatseas was a member of GAPA (Greek American Progressive Association), a rival to AHEPA, that practically vanished… And looks like “someone” wants to erase even their name and history, because you cannot even find them in Wikipedia!
Here is what you can find on Google:
“The Greek American Progressive Association (GAPA) is a historic fraternal organization founded in the United States in 1923. While similar groups like AHEPA initially pushed for rapid assimilation, GAPA was established specifically to preserve the Greek language, Orthodox religion, and cultural traditions among immigrants and their descendants.
History and Mission
GAPA was created as a counterweight to other Greek-American fraternities of the 1920s. Its core principles focus on integrating Greek descendants into American and Canadian life while fiercely protecting their Hellenic heritage.
Key distinctions of GAPA throughout its history include:
The Greek Language: GAPA mandated the use of the Greek language in its meetings and pushed for its preservation in the community.
Orthodox Faith: Unlike other secular fraternities, GAPA strictly required its members to belong to the Greek Orthodox Church.
Community Support: Historically, the organization functioned as a mutual aid society, offering financial support, running Greek schools, and hosting cultural events.
GAPA vs. AHEPA
When discussing Greek-American fraternal organizations, GAPA is frequently compared to the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA). AHEPA was founded in 1922 to encourage Americanization, combat xenophobia, and often utilized English in its meetings during its early decades. GAPA was founded a year later in 1923 with a more traditionalist approach, explicitly focusing on preventing the dilution of Greek culture and language.
Active Lodges and Legacy
While the organization was vastly larger in its mid-20th-century prime, local lodges still function today to preserve Hellenism and support their local communities. For example, active groups like the G.A.P.A. Socrates-Daphne Lodge (Pittsburgh, PA) on Facebook continue the organization’s historical mission of celebrating Greek heritage. For more information on the historical impact of Greek fraternal societies in the US, you can read the Greek American Fraternities Article by the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce.”
“The men of the “Greek Battalion” embodied two patriotic traditions simultaneously:
loyalty to the United States,
and devotion to the liberation of their ancestral homeland.”
Question: How is this working out for Greece today?
Jane, you are asking the right question.
Have we learned nothing from our past? What kind of world have we created, and why do we tolerate it?
Π.Γ., the GAPA fraternity you refer to was created in response to AHEPA’s anti-Greek sentiments.
GAPA is falsely accused by Ahepa as having been anti-assimilationist or even anti-American. That could not be farther from the truth. I’ve studied their records. They were proud Americans who preserved their Greek heritage because they were not ashamed of it. That’s all. They argued that assimilation occurs naturally and it does not need a catalyst. That did not stop them from reciting the pledge of allegiance at their meetings.
GAPA was spontaneously formed by Greek Americans to pursue our community’s interests. Ahepa, on the other hand, was created by the KKK to pursue its own agenda. It was part of a scheme the KKK concocted a year earlier, to create friendly affiliate organizations.
Ahepa’s organizational meeting did not occur on July 26, 1922, as the “supremes” claim, but three days earlier, as contemporaneously reported by the KKK’s journal, The Searchlight, as well as the Atlanta Constitution. It was organized and headed by the Klan’s propagation department.
Yes, it’s shocking, but archival records are more credible than the BS you hear on Ahepa Sunday. . . or the BS coming out of Basil Mossaidis’ and Nicholas Karacostas’ mouths.
They turn the truth upside down and lie that Ahepa defended Greeks from the KKK. I asked them to name a single case. They can’t because there aren’t any. Then I asked them to explain the times Ahepa joined the Klan in boycotting Greek businesses, like George Leones’ shoe repair shop in Atlanta, as reported in the local newspaper, the Atlanta Constitution. They zipped it!
(Regarding Leones, Ahepa demanded that he and his American-born daughter “go back to Greece!” Leones was a US Army war veteran and insisted his patriotism was second to none — but the KKK and Ahepa drove him out of business.)
Contemporaneous records don’t lie. Ahepa’s “supremes” lie! And honest journalists should call them out when they do.
Ahepa served their false narrative of origin to members of Congress at their recent banquet. They even took credit for Iakovos’ civil rights march next to Martin Luther King, but hid the fact that at that time Ahepa’s constitution made them a “Whites only” organization, as it had for nearly five decades!
History matters! The truth matters!
That brings us back to Sandy’s question, if I may paraphrase it:
How is this history working for us now?
Leonidas,
Nothing works when you abandon your identity and your language. The absence of GAPA brought the dominance of AHEPA. And the “national phronema” was replaced by the Masonic “personal interest”. Now we can see the results…