O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek Americans A WEEKLY GREEK AMERICAN PUBLICATION c v www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 10, ISSUE 521 October 6, 2007 $1.00 GREECE: 1.75 EURO Alex Spanos Snowe: Iraq Donates $1 Must Solve Million to Its Problems Fire Victims Politically Deeply Moved by Republican Senator Suffering Caused by Says U.S. Can’t Prop Destructive Flames Iraq Up Indefinitely By Theodore Kalmoukos Special to The National Herald By Evan C. Lambrou Special to The National Herald BOSTON – The family of California real estate magnate Alex Spanos NEW YORK – The Iraqi Government has donated $1 million to the Arch- has failed to achieve the necessary diocese’s Greek Fire Relief Fund, level of political reconciliation, the the Archdiocese announced late last main component for creating stabili- week. ty in Iraq, according to U.S. Senator When making his contribution to Olympia J. Snowe of Maine, so the the Fund, Mr. Spanos said he and U.S. needs to gradually reduce the his family were deeply moved by number of troops and eventually the pain and suffering inflicted by withdraw from Iraq. the destructive flames. U.S. forces can not guarantee “We watched with heavy hearts Iraq’s future security, she says, be- the catastrophic fires and the de- cause that ultimately has to come struction they left behind that af- from the Iraqis themselves. fected thousands of people, their In an interview with the National property and the beautiful country- TNH/COSTAS BEJ Herald this past Tuesday, October 2, side of Greece. I was greatly moved Sealed and Delivered Senator Snowe discussed her obser- by the tragedy unfolding before my vations from her recent trip to Iraq, eyes, and I know that every Greek AHEPA shipped 271 care packages to Greece for the victims of this summer’s fires on Tuesday, October 2, 2007. (From left) Mr. Orlando Sar- and also said the U.S. Government American and every person was gent of Swiss Air Cargo, U.S Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY and AHEPA Supreme Vice President Nick Karacostas. See related story on page 5. can do more to help Greece recover equally moved,” he said. from the catastrophic wildfires in According to an Archdiocese late August and early September. news release, Archbishop Demetrios of America stated, “Truly, Mr. Spanos, along with his beloved family, is not simply a man of Leadership 100 to Investigate Scholarship Program words, but more importantly of ac- tion. We are most grateful to him, By Theodore Kalmoukos One of the things which caught the program, despite the organiza- pledge to Holy Cross (the Herald has Mrs. Faye Spanos and their dear Special to The National Herald L100 officials’ attention last week- tion’s repeated requests to do so, and learned Leadership 100 has already children for this contribution, end was the $10 million revolving the School recently asked Leader- provided the full amount); whether which will certainly enhance the as- BOSTON, Mass. – The Archbishop scholarship program Leadership 100 ship 100 for an additional $10 mil- the School is asking for another $10 sistance the Archdiocese will offer Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment established for Holy Cross. A long lion. million; and whether Leadership to those in need.” Fund will examine the way Holy discussion took place on the issue, Even the Archbishop expressed 100 is going to give another $10 mil- The Archbishop also stated that, Cross Greek Orthodox School of several Leadership 100 members concern that the situation can not lion for the School’s scholarship pro- “no doubt, the noble generosity of Theology has been administering the told the National Herald. continue under the circumstances, gram, L100 Chairman George D. the Spanos family speaks highly of revolving $10 million scholarship The organization has stayed true L100 members said, with Leadership Behrakis said no, adding that the is- their sense of philanthropy. Truly, program Leadership 100 has funded to its pledge ($1 million for over the 100 actually sustaining the School. sue concerning how the School has they are an inspiration for every for candidates to the priesthood, and past ten years), with the stipulation He also expressed concern about managed those funds will be dis- faithful member of our Archdiocese is forming a special committee to in- that the monies would be used the purchasing of the Barletta prop- cussed more thoroughly at the annu- and the community at-large. I hope vestigate, according to its chairman. specifically for scholarships to bene- erty (a 7.5 acre tract of land, with a al meeting in February. and pray that others will follow A broad range of issues was dis- fit seminarians studying to become house on it, adjacent to the School, “No, and that’s going to be their example and give according to cussed during a special meeting in priests and serve parish communities which has no money to pay for it, brought up at the annual meeting, their means. People who lost every- Chicago last weekend, commemo- of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and which is now forced to consider where we are going to have a special thing are depending on our help.” rating the organization’s 25th an- of America. selling it), they said. meeting on the Theological School. Mr. Spanos has also contributed niversary since its founding, which So far, however, the School has In response to the Herald’s ques- I’m putting together a steering com- was also attended by Archbishop not furnished any detailed account tions concerning the fulfillment of Continued on page 5 Demetrios of America. about who has received what from the organization’s $10 million Continued on page 5 U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe Senator Snowe, the one remain- ing Greek American member of the U.S. Senate since Paul Sarbanes of Maryland retired at the end of last War Hero’s Story Finally Declassified year, traveled to Iraq for the third time in mid-September and held By Niko Zavero a Greek Operational Group was mandy as three men detail - one ra- meetings with Maine soldiers, senior Special to the National Herald formed in February 1943, with dio, one British, one English, with Iraqi Government officials and U.S. nearly 200 enlisted men and offi- two officers jumping in before lines commanders on the ground. She Some stories of World War II are cers trained for foreign duty. These on June 6th 1944."?? traveled with fellow members of the truly untouched. Today, the stories men were to aid the armed resis- In March 1944, while in Yu- Senate Select Committee on Intelli- are declassified, and Captain Nick tance by Greek guerillas and to goslavia, Capt. Pappas was shot in gence, Max Baucus (D-Montana), Pappas of Newark can talk freely force the withdrawal of 80,000 the foot by the Germans. He was Ken Salazar (D-Colorado) and Ben about his missions some 66 years German troops. bloodied in the first burst of fire Nelson (D-Nevada), for a two-day after they happened. Nick Pappas served as a first that came from the Germans, who tour, which included meetings with At the age of 94, Capt. Pappas lieutenant in Group III, the fourth were only 20 feet away, he said. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki still recalls the history he took part Group of the 2671st Special Recon- "Those Germans had Shmizers and and President Jalal Talabani. in World War II. During the war, he naissance Battalion Separate Provi- would shoot 750 rounds of armor The Maine Republican, regarded was sent to different parts of the sional, Unit B, under the Office of piercing ammunition per minute at as a centrist who helps create world by the U.S.-initiated Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S./C.I.A.) of us," he said. bridges between both sides of the Strategic Service and the British In- the Greek Operations. The unit was In September, Capt. Pappas' unit political aisle, has been critical of the telligence. ? named the 122nd Infantry Battal- placed tire busters and mines on Bush Administration’s Iraq policy, Greece was the only country in ion to mark 122 years of Greek in- the Elasson-Kozani road on each and has been at loggerheads with Europe to get hit twice - once by dependence from Ottoman Turkish side of the bridge at Likhoudi, "I some of the more conservative mem- Italy, once by Germany - during the oppression. In February 1943, still recall those German trucks bers of her own party about, but in- war. Royal Greek Ministry for For- Capt. Pappas and his unit took the coming down that mountain; I gave sists that an eventual U.S. withdraw- AP/THANASSIS STAVRAKIS eign Affairs Emanuel Tsouderos Island of Vies. "We beat the Ger- orders to let the first German truck al is inevitable. She is currently Moving Day Approaches communicated with President mans in and we were the first ones go through and then gave orders to working with other moderate Sen- Franklin D. Roosevelt from Cairo, on the island and to this day I am attack and destroy the rest of the ate Republicans on legislation which Moving boxes sit next to priceless ancient artwork at the old museum Egypt and ideas were created to proud to say that,” Capt. Pappas trucks. When we hit the German would reduce troop levels while of Acropolis during preparations for a removal in Athens on Wednes- construct and form highly trained said. “I led my men in and British trucks we realized the Germans maintaining U.S.