When the first Balkan War between Greece and Turkey erupted in 1912, an estimated 25,000 Greek immigrants who had made the United States their new home packed their belongings and returned to their homeland to defend Greece.
New York City’s Greek population alone formed an entire battalion that would purchase uniforms, equipment and rifles from the state government. The NY National Guard also assisted the Greek cause by offering basic training in military discipline, hygiene, firearms and the field guns themselves to the newly formed volunteer unit.
Other artillery and infantry units formed in communities around the country. Overall, the American media dubbed these Greeks the “Sacred Battalions” because they considered their mission to defend their “patrida” — or homeland — a sacred one.
Some people portrayed them as unpatriotic to the U.S. A letter to the editor in a Chicago newspaper asked, “How dedicated to their new country are these new Americans that they can drop their lives and jobs and leave on a whim to fight in a foreign, far-away war?”
In far away Utah — days away from the East Coast by railroad — more than 200 Greek miners decided to hand in their pick and shovel and return home to fight the Turks. An elaborate church service was held at the local Greek Orthodox cathedral for the departing warriors. A similar farewell was held in Chicago.
Those that stayed behind raised money via church and fraternal organizations and wealthy benefactors and sent money to support the Greek cause. The predominantly immigrant community raised more than $400,000 — approximately $9 million dollars today.
Off to war: Greeks in NYC prepare to leave for Greece. (Photo / Library of Congress) 
Greek immigrants preparing to depart for Greece to fight in the Balkan War. (Photo / Library of Congress) 
Greek immigrants boarding the ship Madonna when they left NYC to fight in the first Balkan War. (Photo / Library of Congress) 
Photo taken when Greek immigrants left NYC to return to their country and fight in the 1912 Balkan War. (Photo / Library of Congress) 
Greek men ready to board the ship Martha Washington to return home and fight in the 1912 Balkan War. (Photo / Library of Congress) 
Greek men boarding the ship Madonna to return home and fight in the 1912 Balkan War. (Photo / Library of Congress) 
NYC Greek men preparing for the journey home to Greece, outside Webster Hall. (Photo / Library of Congress)
During one particular fundraiser in NYC, Greek Americans managed to raise $20,000 as 5,000 people poured into the Amsterdam Opera House and another 1,000 waited outside to aid in the national cause. The fundraiser also came at a time when the average annual American salary was slightly more than $1,000.
The story of how Greek Americans and philhellenes (lovers of Greece and Greek culture) contributed to the first Balkan War effort is masterfully told by historian Peter Giakoumis in his book “The Forgotten Heroes of the Balkan Wars: Greek-Americans and Philhellenes 1912-1913.”
“The Forgotten Heroes of the Balkan Wars 1912-1913″ is available for purchase via The Pappas Post Bookshop and via Amazon.
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14 comments
My grandfather left Indianapolis, Indiana to join. Born in Gavrolimni in 1888. Anthony John Pappas/Patoyiannes.
The author brings out many great details, but romantics a bit. The fact that these men were summoned back to Greece is never mentioned, that essentially they were presented with the threat if never being allowed in Greece again to see family. Considering many of them, the majority most likely, came to the US to earn money to send back to family in Greece, this left them no choice but go and fight. Casualties were many as well. Very honorable, but there is a very sad reality to their flight back to the Motherland. Then, those who survived and returned went on to fight in WWI – these were men. Not an easy road.
Mary Lee thanks for your comment. A few others have made this claim but there is no evidence on either side of the Atlantic to prove this. Numerous newspaper accounts surveyed from the era pointed to a voluntary movement, completely, which included fundraisers and much support coming from local communities. In Greece, there are no military records we found from the era that show any kind of summons or decrees forcing these men back. Furthermore, we spoke to descendants of some of these men and none remembered anywhere in their grandfathers/father’s stories of any forced return. If you have such evidence, I’d love to update the story.
It’s not a claim – it happened. Go to 6:50 in this documentary and the interview with William Pappas, my dad’s lifelong best friend. My evidence is from my father and his friend’s stories of their fathers who fought. History is subjective and people want to put “facts” in a box. Oral histories should never be discredited. I’m a descendent as well. http://indianapolis.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=6267
My great grandfather, Angelo Vlahos, left his family in Greece in the early 1900’s to establish himself before bringing his family to America. He then left New York to return and fight in the Balkan Wars. He returned home to Exanthia, Lefkada to his wife and 5 children never leaving Greece again. Three of his sons and most of his grandchildren left Greece between the 1920’s and 1960’s all bound for Sydney Australia.
It must be underlined that it was a consequence of the action of the Panhellenic Union that it had been founded two years before the Balkan Wars by the Special Ambassador of the Greek Gonernment in the USA, Konstantinows Papamichalopoulos, who was descendned from Kremasti, Lakonia.
My grandfather and his brother came to New York from Kremasti. The brother married and had a child before returning to Greece to fight in one of the Balkan Wars. He did not survive. My grandfather, now the eldest of the siblings, brought over the rest of the family. I have always been interested in how I might learn more about the return of Greek men to fight, and how I might learn more, specifically, about my great-uncle.
This is a very touching story. Two brothers of my grandfather came back to Greece to fight the turks and after the balkan wars they were sent to Minor Asia. They served the Greek army for ten years from 1912 to 1922. After the war they went back to the USA, as there was still no place and no job for them in Greece.
My great grandfather Nikolaos Vlahakis left New York to fight for Hellas in both balkan wars. After the wars ended, he returned back to the US. He left the US again to fight the Germans during WW2. He survived all wars and all foreign invaders. He was killed after WW2 had finished, by greek communists, in his own house in Dyrrahio, Arkadia.
My grandfather was one of them too. Left N.York to come back home and fight for almost 10 years until the Minor Asia disaster. Then he returned to his village and never went back to the States.
Jonathan Vlahakis, we come from the same village, Dyrrahio, Arkadia!
Our ancestors were most probably together at some point!
Really glad to meet you. I am a friend of a Vlahaki relative of yours too!
I read your article with great interest. Although it may not pertain directly to my inquiry, perhaps your knowledge of Greek history my shed some light on a family mystery.
I’m hoping you can assist me in identifying a photo of my grandfather, Michael Aggelis. The photo was taken in Greece, showing him dressed in military uniform. We would like to know where he might have fought.
I have records showing he came to the US in 1912 at age 27 and that was born in the Laconia area of Greece.
I would be happy to forward l a copy of the photo if you would send me your email address.
My grandfather returned to Greece to fight in the Balkan War. He was shot in the face , but survived. He returned to the U.S. in 1914.
My father Nick Pappas(Papadopolous) was summoned back to Greece to fight. He fought the Bulgarians and the Turks..I have documents to prove. I have a Certificate of a Commemorative Medal by order of the King of the Greeks..Constatine and signed by Eleftherios Venizelos..This shows his 1st campaign against Turkey 1912-1913 and the 2nd campaign against Bulgaria in 1913 in the battle of Kilkis-Lahanas, Beles Kreonis. It states he was wounded. He was living in NY prior to the wars. Returned and lived in Dover NJ then married to Zoi Siamas and moved to Indianapolis, IN and had 7 children…I have several documents from US which were complete prior to departing for the war..One was from the US Selective Service authorizing his departure. All sons served in the US military..WW2 and Korea. One son a Marine served on active duty in Korea with a UN Greek Battalion. One served with Gen Patton in Europe during WW2.
My two grandfathers were conscripted to go and fight the Turks in 1913. They both were born on the island of Kythera. One got home in 1921 and the other in 1923.
My paternal grandfather’s brother was in the Greek Royal Navy in 1922 rescuing Greeks and Armenians who were being massacred by the murderous Turks. The Japanese navy was also present assisting with the rescue operations while the French and the British watched and did nothing.