[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 23]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 31824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS 
                          WHO FOUGHT IN GREECE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 15, 2007

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
extraordinary life and accomplishments of Andrew Mousalimas, Spiro 
Cappony, Greg Pahules, Charles Antinopoulos, Gus Kraras, Nicholas 
Pappas, Peter Photis, Angelus Lygizos, Theodore Russell, Spiros 
Taflambas, and Vic Miller. All of these distinguished gentlemen are 
American veterans of United States commando units, who served behind 
enemy lines and fought alongside Hellenic Armed Forces in occupied 
Greece during World War II.
  World War II involved the first U.S. experience with clandestine 
commando warfare. Under a classified plan developed by the Office of 
Strategic Services, OSS, precursor of the CIA, small Operational 
Groups, OGs, of specially trained U.S. Army infantrymen of various 
ethnic backgrounds--Greek, Yugoslav, Italian, French, and Norwegian--
were infiltrated into occupied Europe to assist local partisan groups 
in resisting the Nazis. Among these OGs were more than 200 bilingual 
American soldiers. Their mission was to work with the andartes, the 
Greek partisans, to make the Nazi withdrawal from Greece in 1944 as 
costly as possible.
  At the time, the OGs' brand of warfare was unique in the history of 
American arms. They learned special commando tactics at the OSS's 
secret training center on the grounds of the Congressional Country Club 
in Chevy Chase, MD, and received demolition training at another 
clandestine facility in Hagerstown, MD. Beginning in April 1944, they 
were inserted by night into Greece from Italy, either by boat or air 
drop. They then walked through the mountains to their operational 
bases. Once in place, they could not expect reinforcements, tactical 
support, or medical aid. They had no withdrawal route and were expected 
to remain in Greece indefinitely, living off the land and moving around 
on foot.
  They punched far above their numbers and succeeded far beyond 
expectations, making 76 deadly strikes against the withdrawing Germans, 
on average about once every 3 days, killing or wounding over 1,800 
enemy soldiers and blowing up miles of roads, track, and bridges. Their 
effectiveness can be judged by the severity of the German response. 
Even though the OGs deployed in uniform, an illegal Wehrmacht order 
directed that they be slaughtered to the last man if captured. The OGs' 
presence was a great morale booster for the andartes. OGs were the 
close-assault troops in operations by Greek partisans and contributed 
greatly to their success against occupation forces.
  With their mission completed, they were withdrawn from Greece at the 
end of 1944 and officially disbanded a year later. Records of their 
actions were sealed for 40 years. Having operated autonomously and 
formally under Allied command, their war record was not fully 
recognized, with U.S. Army separation papers often not mentioning 
ground combat in Greece. Some never learned that they had been awarded 
a Presidential unit citation.
  Madam Speaker, I commend and honor these American heroes--recognition 
of their bravery will be forever memorialized in the U.S. Congress with 
these remarks. Their dedication to the cause of freedom and democracy 
shall never be forgotten.

                          ____________________