Greeks in Foreign Cockpits

Greeks in Foreign Cockpits Η ΖΩΗ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙΧΕΙΡΗΣΙΑΚΗ ΔΡΑΣΗ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΚΑΤΑΓΩΓΗΣ ΠΙΛΟΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΛΗΡΩΜΑΤΩΝ ΒΟΜΒΑΡΔΙΣΤΙΚΩΝ ΣΕ ΞΕΝΕΣ ΑΕΡΟΠΟΡΙΕΣ

"Have you ever wondered if Greek and Greek parentage pilots and bomber crews have flown with the US, British and other Air Forces from the WW1 until today? Have you ever wondered if Greeks flew together as pairs in missions during WW2 both with the USAAF and the RAF? Did you wonder if the Greeks flew together as pilots and co-pilots during missions with the 8th USAAF Air Force heavy bombers over E

urope. If you find the above questions interesting, we invite you to become part of our community and receive the answers through our "GREEK IN FOREIGN COCKPITS" books and this page in order to get to know all these unknown heroes of a forgotten page of our aviation history."

27/08/2026

CHRISTOPHER “POPS” PAPAIOANU — TOPGUN

Greek blood. TOPGUN command.

Christopher “Pops” Papaioanu flew combat in Iraq and Syria, but one of the toughest tests of his career came at TOPGUN: the feared “Murder Board,” where experts waited for the slightest mistake.

He passed — and later commanded the Navy Fighter Weapons School.

LINK:
https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/chris-papaioanu/

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/chris-papaioanu-gr/

27/08/2026

GEORGE T. PAPPAS — A-7A CORSAIR II

Too many boats to eject.

On 14 September 1968, George T. Pappas’s A-7A Corsair II took a direct hit over North Vietnam. Fuel streamed from the burning wing as he reached Da Nang.

With too many boats below to eject safely over the harbor, Pappas kept the burning jet flying all the way to the runway.

LINK:
https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/george-pappas/

26/08/2026

HE WAS DUE HOME THE NEXT MONTH.

10 March 1953. First Lieutenant Peter M. Darakis took off in an LT-6G “Mosquito” on a routine tactical reconnaissance mission over Korea.

At 06:30 he transmitted the weather.

It was his last known transmission.

Fifteen minutes later, an Army observer saw machine-gun fire and then a single-engine aircraft burst into flames, crash and explode behind enemy lines.

No parachute was seen.

Bad weather and the location of the crash prevented a ground search.

Darakis was scheduled to return home in April 1953.

He was only 24.

Peter M. Darakis
6148th Tactical Control Squadron • 6147th Tactical Control Group • Fifth Air Force

READ THE FULL STORY:
https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/peter-darakis/

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/peter-darakis-gr/

26/08/2026

HIS OWN GUNNER WANTED TO SHOOT HIM.

29 May 1944. Over Leipzig, the B-17 flown by James C. “Jim the Greek” Stopulos suffered catastrophic failure of its oxygen system at 20,000 feet.

Stopulos dropped to 10,000 feet — but now the lone bomber was exposed to German fighters.

His nine crewmates voted to fly to neutral Sweden and sit out the rest of the war.

Stopulos refused.

“The hell we will. I’m boss.”

He turned the crippled bomber toward England and brought them home alive.

His crew did not speak to him for two weeks.

Months later, as they prepared to return to the United States, one of his gunners admitted that there had been times when he wanted to shoot him — but Stopulos had brought them back from every mission.

James C. “Jim the Greek” Stopulos
332nd Bombardment Squadron • 94th Bombardment Group • USAAF

READ THE FULL STORY:
https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/bomber-pilots-copilots/james-stopulos/

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/bomber-pilots-copilots/james-stopulos-gr/

26/08/2026

“SIT BACK! GO BACK TO YOUR PLACE!”

26 June 1943. Peter J. Dascoulias was thrown to the floor when his B-17 made a violent climb to avoid a mid-air collision.

As the bomber steadied, he saw the tail gunner heading for the escape hatch — even though no bail-out order had been given.

At least 25 Me 109s and Fw 190s were attacking the formation. Dascoulias screamed at him to return to his post.

He did.

The gunners kept fighting almost all the way to the English Channel.

Peter J. Dascoulias
423rd Bombardment Squadron • 306th Bombardment Group • USAAF

READ THE FULL STORY:
https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/gunners/peter-dascoulias/

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/gunners/peter-dascoulias-gr/

25/08/2026

HE NAMED IT "ANASTASIA."

Peter J. Vergados named his O-1F Bird Dog after the woman he expected to marry.

His later verdict on the name was dry:
"Name was Bad Luck."

The relationship ended soon afterward.

Then ANASTASIA — O-1F 57-2980 — was shot down west of Kontum.

The final twist?

Vergados had flown that same Bird Dog on a morning sortie in the same area before it was lost that afternoon.

Peter J. Vergados • 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron • USAF
Distinguished Flying Cross



Read further details in the following links

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/peter-vergados-gr/

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/peter-vergados/

25/08/2026

HE CRAWLED INTO THE BOMB BAY WITHOUT A PARACHUTE.

6 March 1944. Over Berlin, the B-17 carrying Greek-American ball turret gunner George W. Agiasottelis was badly damaged by repeated attacks from Luftwaffe fighters.

Enemy cannon fire had torn into the aircraft, severely damaging the cockpit and bomb bay. Fuel tanks were leaking, creating a constant danger of explosion.

Yet Agiasottelis remained at his post for more than two hours, using his guns to help drive off repeated attacks by German fighters.

Then came another emergency.

Three 500-lb bombs were stuck in their racks.

Despite the extreme cold and lack of oxygen at high altitude — and without a parachute — Agiasottelis stepped onto the bomb-bay catwalk.

He managed to dislodge all three bombs so they could be released over the target area.

For his heroism over Berlin, George W. Agiasottelis was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to his Distinguished Flying Cross.

George W. Agiasottelis — 568th Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group, USAAF



Read further details here

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/2018/04/04/george-agiasotelis/

25/08/2026

THE DIVE THREW HIM OUT OF THE AIRPLANE.

27 September 1918. Greek-American observer Richard Stockton Jannopoulo was fighting off German aircraft from the rear cockpit of a Salmson 2A2 when a bullet passed through his left lung.

Then his pilot dived steeply to escape.

The rush of air lifted Jannopoulo out of the machine.

He caught the gun mount, swung around its pivot, and clung to the aircraft instead of falling.

For about 90 seconds, he lay on the fuselage before pulling himself back into the cockpit.

Jannopoulo later admitted:
“I never thought I'd get out alive.”

He survived — and was later awarded the Croix de Guerre.

Richard Stockton Jannopoulo • 91st Aero Squadron • US Air Service



Read further details here

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/richard-stockton-jannopulo/

24/08/2026

“BAIL OUT!”

3 May 1967. Over North Vietnam, ground fire struck the F-105D Thunderchief flown by Greek-American fighter pilot Charles “Vas” Vasiliadis.

His aircraft was badly damaged.

His flight leader signaled for him to eject.

Vas stayed with the crippled Thunderchief, trying to carry it south and away from enemy-held territory.

Eventually there was no choice.

He ejected from F-105D 62-4405 and suffered severe injuries.

He survived.

But perhaps the most remarkable part came afterward.

Despite those injuries, Charles Vasiliadis recovered sufficiently to return to the aircraft that had nearly killed him.

He flew the F-105 in combat again.

🇬🇷🇺🇸 Charles “Vas” Vasiliadis — 333rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, USAF

For more details follow the link

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/fighter-pilots/charles-vasiliadis/

24/08/2026

HE ESCAPED A B-24 THAT WAS SPINNING APART.

21 April 1945. With the war in Europe only weeks from its end, B-24J BLACK CAT was struck by German flak over Regensburg.

The bomber was mortally damaged and plunged out of control.

In the nose was Greek-American airman Christos “Curly” Mugianis, also known as Christ Manners.

Mugianis escaped the doomed Liberator through the nose-wheel opening and survived the fall.

Of BLACK CAT’s crew, only two men survived: Mugianis and tail gunner Albert Seraydarian.

Both became prisoners of war.

BLACK CAT — B-24J 42-95592 — went down during the final days of the air war over Germany.

Eight days later, Mugianis was liberated.

🇬🇷🇺🇸 Christos “Curly” Mugianis — USAAF

Read more here

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/bombardiers-and-navigators/christos-mougianis/

Address

Spáta

Telephone

+306947206308

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Greeks in Foreign Cockpits posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Greeks in Foreign Cockpits:

Shortcuts

Share