The 4th of July – My American Heritage

We want to take this moment to wish our dear friends, readers and fellow Americans a happy Independence Day. A little known fact about “The Greek” is that he is a patriotic American citizen, born in the United States with a childhood dream to become President of the United States, among seven other things. Yes, I have been a limitless dreamer since the start of it all.

What some of you may not know about me is that I am a patriot, and that I believe fully in my heart in what the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution assert for our nation. I would defend those God given rights with passion if need be. Before our government ever offered it, my father offered the U.S. government (a sheriff in Houston Texas to be specific) to serve our armed forces in Korea in exchange for American citizenship. Unfortunately, or fortunately, he was turned down and did not become a citizen until decades later.

Two of my uncles have served in the armed forces, with my Uncle John having been a Ranger (paratrooper) in Korea, who thankfully was returned home safely to us just before that infamous battle known to you as “Hamburger Hill.” He does not speak of his time in service, and we do not ask him about it, but we are so very proud of him.

My Uncle Tom served as a marine, and boy is he the epitome of the American marine. He’s the toughest mother I’ve ever known, and I’ve known some tough guys. You know, I delivered pizza as a kid, and in some bad neighborhoods where I needed to carry a blackjack to ensure my safety. Well, once when threatened by some thugs who were eating on my car, after I got them off it, I knew exactly who to call. I told my uncle they threatened to “get me” after work, and he showed up in the parking lot with a gun and a bat. He was an expert marksman and a Master Sergeant, having served in Japan.

Our American heritage extends back to my grandfathers on both sides of the family, with my Grandfather Markos having ventured to America before World War II. It was both fortunate and unfortunate, as he ended up stuck here while the rest of the family had to endure Nazi occupation of our island. My father, in his childhood, with his starving siblings and mother left the island via a miraculous journey in the middle of the night on an overfilled boat at constant risk of sinking due to its excessive weight (one inch separated the sea and the ship’s rim). They endured the final year of the war in Egypt as refugees, where my father’s Grandfather Antonis died and remains buried. My grandfather on my mother’s side was a foreman at Bethlehem steel in Pittsburgh, PA. He led a group of Greek American painters and was the boss in every aspect of his life. Somewhere, I have a classic photo of him and his men around his Baby Overland Ford (NYSE: F); I’ll be sure to share that someday. For now, I’ll share my best wishes to my fellow Americans on this day marking our independence.

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