Lieutenant Nicholas Stampolis story is a sad story, nevertheless, a story that reminds us of the sacrifices made by young men all over the world during the fight against the Axis in WW2. It’s also a story that's totally dependent on the story of his best friend, also Greek American USAAF pilot, Arthur (Athanasios) Sougas, or Andy as he was known to his friends. There is no way to refer to one of them without mentioning the other. Nicholas was the first child and son of Peter Stampolis and Chrysoula Mechalas Stampolis followed by two sisters, Corina and Stella, and one more brother, Anthony. Μost information regarding their early days became known from the article "The Fall of Hermes" published for the first time in Air Classics Magazine, issue, July 2004 by Gerard Pahl.

"Nicholas Stampolis and Arthur Sugas were inseparable. The boys typically went through the school system and at one time attended McKinley Elementary where, perhaps, both received their introduction to aviation, for it was there that movies were shown on the outside wall of the school on warm summer evenings. Sometimes an aircraft would visit what was then the Lindbergh.....

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https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/bomber-pilots-copilots/nick-stampolis/

Greek Version:

https://www.greeks-in-foreign-cockpits.com/pilots-crews/bomber-pilots-copilots/nick-stampolis-gr/