One of the greatest rewards of my work is having the chance to collaborate with families who wish to honor their ancestors. Even though my role is minor, I’m honored and humbled everytime I get an opportunity to create an illustration for such projects. Most of these projects are done privately, but in some cases the result is made public. Sharing such stories publicly not only keeps their memory alive but also connects their legacy to a wider audience, ensuring that their courage and sacrifice are never lost to history.
My collaboration with my friend Dimitris Vassilopoulos, whose remarkable work brings to light the stories of Greek pilots and aircrew who served in foreign air forces, especially during the Second World War, has brought many such opportunities. His remarkable research allows us to better understand and honor these men who otherwise might be forgotten. I strongly invite you to visit his website Greeks in Foreign Cockpits to discover the impressive breadth of his work. If you are interested in this topic, Dimitris has also written several books on the topic, with more in preparation.
In this instance, Dimitris asked me to create a profile of the B-24 “Cisco Kid II”, whose crew included Thomas C. Pappas.
Thomas Constantine Pappas was born on November 24, 1922, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Greek immigrant parents from Theodoriana in Epirus. His father, Constantine, even volunteered in the Balkan Wars before settling in the U.S., where the family embraced both their Greek roots and American life.
In 1943, Thomas enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces, training as a navigator. He mastered celestial, radio, and dead-reckoning navigation, then deployed to the Southwest Pacific, initially flying transport missions from Guadalcanal before transitioning to multi-engine bombers, including the B-24 Liberator. By early 1944, he joined the 31st Bomb Squadron, 5th Bomb Group (Heavy), 13th Air Force, serving aboard a B-24J named Cisco Kid II. Operating from Momote Airdrome in the Admiralty Islands, he took part in bombing raids over Woleai Atoll.
Tragically, on April 20, 1944, during takeoff for another mission, Cisco Kid II suffered an engine failure and crashed. All eleven crew members, including 2nd Lieutenant Pappas, lost their lives in the ensuing explosion. The Liberator crashed near a Seabee mess hall, killing over 100 service members on the ground.
Years later, in 1974, Thomas’s mother, Angeliki, honored her son’s memory by building a small chapel dedicated to Saint Athanasios in their ancestral village of Theodoriana—an enduring tribute to his sacrifice. In August 2025, Dimitris travelled to the chapel and offered a commemorative plaque describing Thomas’ life, career and ultimate sacrifice.
Read the full story here : Thomas C. Pappas | Greeks in Foreign Cockpits
