List of World War II aces from Greece
Encyclopedia
World War I
Greece provided only one flying ace in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
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!Name !! Kills !! Awards !! Notes
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| Aristeidis Moraitinis
Aristeidis Moraitinis (aviator)
Aristeidis Moraitinis D.S.O. was a pioneer Greek military aviator of the early 20th century. During the Balkan Wars he performed together with Michael Moutoussis the first naval air mission in history, while in the following World War I, he became Greece's only ace with nine aerial victories in...
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|| Flew partly with the Hellenic Naval Air Service
Hellenic Naval Air Service
The Hellenic Naval Air Service or ΝΑΥ was the air arm of the Hellenic Navy from 1915 to 1930.The first aviation units in the Greek Armed Forces were formed in June 1912. In the following Balkan Wars, the Hellenic Navy was the first in military history to use aircraft to track down and bomb the...
and partly with the British Royal Navy Air Service.
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World War II
Greece had six flying aces in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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| Name | Kills | Awards | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antoniou, Andreas | 6 | Greek Squadron Leader, fought during the Greco-Italian War Greco-Italian War The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II... 1940-41. Served with the 22 Greek Fighter Group. Flew the PZL P-24. |
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| Argyropoulos, Panagiotis | 5 | ||
| Mitralexis, Marinos Marinos Mitralexis Marinos Mitralexis was a Greek Air Force pilot during World War II. He became legendary when he managed to bring down an enemy bomber by ramming its tail, on November 2, 1940.-Career:... |
5 | Cross of Valour Cross of Valour (Greece) The Cross of Valour is the second highest military decoration of the Greek state, awarded for acts of bravery or distinguished leadership on the field of battle... |
Fought in the Greek Italian war in 22 Fighter Squadron. Bringing an Italian bomber down by ramming its tail made him a popular hero figure. After the fall of Greece, escaped to North Africa and fought with Greek squadron under the Allied Desert Air Force Desert Air Force The Desert Air Force , also known chronologically as Air Headquarters Western Desert, Air Headquarters Libya, AHQ Western Desert, the Western Desert Air Force, Desert Air Force, and the First Tactical Air Force , was an Allied tactical air force initially created from No... . |
| Pisanos, Spiros Nikolaou "Steve" | 6 | Croix de Guerre | Born in the Kolonos suburb of Athens in 1919. While a Greek immigrant to the United States he enlisted in the RAF. Fought with RAF and USAAF, and credited with 10 kills with the US 4th Fighter Group (European Theater) - Changed nationality to US when the RAF Eagle Squadron Eagle squadron The Eagle Squadrons were 3 fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force formed during World War II with volunteer pilots from the United States... he was serving with merged into the 4th FG. He remained with this fighter unit despite an offer to go to North Africa to join the Royal Hellenic Air Force fighting with the RAF. A friend of US ace Don Gentile, they shared quarters in the 4th Group. In March 1944, due to an engine failure he bailed out over France and was rescued by the French Resistance French Resistance The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II... , staying with them until Paris was liberated. Posted to the USA he became a test pilot Test pilot A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated.... post and flew the jet Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. For a while served as civilian pilot with TWA Twa The Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products.... on 4 engine airliners. Back to the USAAF, he served continually on various posts, receiving 33 citations. Retired in 1974 as Colonel still alive in 2006. Flown the Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s... V, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and North American P-51 Mustang. In 2008 he published "The Flying Greek" a biography on his early life and his war memories. |
| Plagis, Ioannis Agorastos "John" | 17 | DSO, DFC & Bar, DFC (Netherlands) | As a child of Greek immigrants in Rhodesia Rhodesia Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965... , he volunteered to fly with the Royal Air Force; the Rhodesian Air Force refusing his application as he was of Greek nationality. 1940-1945. Fought with RAF. After training he joined No. 249 Squadron and flew the Spitfire V Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s... in defence of Malta. The hard fighting caused a breakdown and he was sent to the UK for a period of rest. Thereafter he flew first the Spitfire and then later the North American Mustang III in action over Europe. Post-war he adopted British nationality and remained in the RAF flying the Gloster Meteor Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force... retiring as a Group Captain Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore... . He returned to Rhodesian where he later committed suicide. |
| Vassiliades, Basilios Michael Vassilios "Vass" | 10 | DFC, DFM | A Greek from the island of Chios Chios Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages... born in 1920. He was a student in UK at the time war broke out and unable to return home he volunteered for the RAF. Credited with 11+1/2 victories, awarded the DFC, DFM. Fought over Europe (France, D-Day, Germany) and killed in action 25 March 1945 during a ground attack. His death is mentioned in The Big Show (Le Grand Cirque) written by the French ace Pierre Clostermann Pierre Clostermann Pierre Clostermann was a French flying ace, author, engineer, politician and sporting fisherman. Over his flying career he was awarded the Grand-Croix of the French Légion d'Honneur, French Croix de Guerre, British DFC and bar, Distinguished Service Cross , Silver Star , and the Air Medal .-Early... with whom he occasionally shared a plane while based in Volkel, Holland. He flew the Mustang III and Hawker Tempest Hawker Tempest The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war.... V. He became the highest scoring Greek ace retaining Greek nationality. He is also the only Greek pilot to have his name remembered on the Air Forces Memorial Air forces memorial The Air Forces Memorial, or Runnymede Memorial, near Egham, Surrey, England is a memorial dedicated to some 20,456 men and women from the British Empire who were lost in operations from World War II. All of those recorded have no known grave anywhere in the world, and many were lost without trace... , Runnymede Runnymede Runnymede is a water-meadow alongside the River Thames in the English county of Berkshire, and just over west of central London. It is notable for its association with the sealing of Magna Carta, and as a consequence is the site of a collection of memorials... |