Veteran’s Corner
GREECE TO AMERICA
By Sandra McKinney
W
e know him as Harry Greece. He wanted to get out too before being Athens, but he was born killed. in 1945 as Charalambos Aunt Pareskavula Athanassopoulos, who Athanassopoulos in Fragislived in the United States in San Diego, ta, Greece. Although WWII California, visited the family in Greece. She was over, there was still great unrest in Greece saw the conditions in which the family was in 1955. The Greek Civil War was not a clash living. The Germans had destroyed almost all of good vs. evil, but one of two extreme belief their possessions. Uncle Yiorgos (George) had systems that could not co-exist, with the majorattended college in Turkey and now lived in the ity of the Greek people trapped somewhere in United States. When Aunt Pareskavula returned the middle. It was to the U.S., she contacted Yiorgos and told him a battle of ideolthey must get the family out of Greece and to ogies. It was a America. difficult time Uncle Yiorgos had been in the United States in Greece; for several years. He was with a native Laguna the Gerwoman named Marie Aragon. They had a home mans had in Paraje, New Mexico and also later in Gallup. While still living in Greece: Harry on his Grandpa Dimitris destroyed After learning of the plight of Yiorgos’ family, Athanassopoulos’ lap, sister Voula on Mom Chrysanthe so much Marie agreed to sponsor the family to immiand people Athanassopoulos’ lap, and Dad Konstatinos Athanassopoulos. grate to the U.S. were This changed the plans of Konstatinos to living in terrible conditions. Konstatinos move the family to Australia. It was more logical to move to the United States where Athanassopoulos had beother family was already living. Chrysanthe was pregnant and had a small toddler, gun to make plans to Styliania. She was not able to make the move with the rest of her family due to her move his family to pregnancy. Konstatinos made the trip by ship with his young children: Harry, Areti, Australia to escape Voula, Orunia, and little Yiorgos (George), named after his uncle. They arrived in the ravages of New York, and then traveled to Chicago, where they boarded the Super Chief which war and the threat took them to Gallup, New Mexico, arriving January 4, 1956. Chrysanthe stayed beof communism. hind in Greece and one year after giving birth to another little girl, Elainia, the three Konstatinos and followed the rest of the family to Gallup. his wife ChrysanThat was the beginning of life in Gallup, New Mexico for Charalambos the had five small Athanassopoulos. “To make life easier in the U.S., my name was shortened to children, the oldest Harry Athens; though I never changed it legally,” Harry said with a grin. being Charalambos Harry had completed 4th grade in Greece. It was challenging to start school in (Harry). They Gallup, but he learned English and continued his education here and graduated from wanted a better Cathedral High School in 1966. Harry explains, “After graduation, so many were life for their going out to San Francisco, but I went to New York to once again visit the Big City. family. Harry’s From New York, I traveled with a group back to Greece and then returned into Canagrandfather had da to go to Expo ’67 in Montreal. You see, I was a Permanent Resident of the United been in Turkey States and I had a Green Card stating such. I had no trouble getting into Canada. After visiting there for a few days, it was time to return to the United States and my family working as in New Mexico.” Harry gives a scowl and says, “That is when the trouble started! a spy for Back in the 60s, we young men were given a Selective Service (draft) card, and we were supposed to carry it at all times. But, you see, I had not packed my draft card for all my traveling. When we got to the border crossing to enter the U.S., they demanded Harry today, proudly all my papers. When I could not produce the U.S. draft card, I had to make a decision given a couple of options: I could be returned to Greece to join the Greek Army or I displaying could be immediately drafted into the United States Army.” the vest he “My dad didn’t want me to go to any Army,” Harry explains. “But they gave me 24 wears when hours to catch the next flight to the United States, and the next thing I knew, I was at volunteering Ft. Benning, Georgia training for the U.S. Army!” with Veterans “I was with the 339th Construction Engineers division in Vietnam. We built helicop-
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