Federation Officials Visit Merchant Marine Academy

Members of the Greek Community and representatives of the Federation of Hellenic Societies posed following the meeting with U.S. Merchant Marine Academy officials in Kings Point, Long Island. Pictured (from l.) are: Rev. Fr. Eugene Pappas of Three Hierarchs Church, Brooklyn; Eleni Daniels, journalist and PR consultant; Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen Captain Robert Larsen; Academy Director of Music Captain Kenneth Force; Tom Dellis, realtor and grandson of the late merchant seaman; Dino Ralis, public relations chair and 2006 Greek parade chair; Commandant of Midshipmen Captain Robert Allee, and Nick Diamantidis, Greek Federation president.

On Tuesday, June 20, one day after President George W. Bush's historic visit to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in Kings Point, Long Island, where he delivered the keynote address to the Class of 2006, Greek community leaders and representatives of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York were welcomed by Academy officials to the federal maritime college.

The meeting, held in appreciation of the Merchant Academy's first-ever participation in the 2006 annual Greek Independence Parade on Fifth Avenue, included Captain Robert Allee, Commandant of Midshipmen at the Academy, Captain Robert Larsen, Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen and Captain Kenneth Force, Academy director of music. The Greek delegation included Nick Diamantidis, Greek Federation president; Dino Ralis, public relations chair and 2006 Greek parade chair; Rev. Fr. Eugene Pappas, pastor at Three Hierarchs Church, Brooklyn; Eleni Daniels, journalist and PR consultant and Tom Dellis, realtor and grandson of the late merchant seaman, Tom Dellis (Athanasios Delithanasis), who served during World War II and whose history of service to the U.S. Merchant Marine was lost until now.

"The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is always willing to participate in significant events like the Greek-American Independence Day parade," Force said. "In April 2006, the student members of our Color Guard and the Fanfare Trumpeters were impressed with the warm reception they received."

Diamantidis and Ralis presented the Academy officials with a Certificate of Appreciation and a U.S. Smithsonian Institute silver emblem to express their gratitude for the Academy's first-ever appearance in the annual Greek Parade in honor of the late mariner Tom Dellis and all Greek-American merchant mariners. "It is a great honor and privilege for the Greek community in New York, the largest Greek population outside of Greece, to welcome the nation's elite Merchant Academy marines to the most important event in our community," Diamantidis said. "Many Greek-Americans served during WWII and we look forward to welcoming the Merchant Academy again at next year's parade."

"Many of our midshipmen have the opportunity to visit Greece during the period of time that they train at sea," Allee said. "Their vessels call at Greek ports and they spend time ashore visiting the historic sites in this cradle of Western civilization. It's a great experience for them."

The official visit included a campus tour, including the Mariner's Chapel, which boasts a three-panel revolving altar, the only one of its kind in the country.

The meeting was arranged by Tom Dellis of Astoria, grandson of the merchant seaman who served during WWII and whose history of service to the U.S. Merchant Marine was lost until now. Congressmember Joseph Crowley and Queens Democratic Leader Tom Manton assisted in Dellis'quest to learn more about his grandfather's service.

The Hellenic community, the largest outside of Greece, commemorated the 185th anniversary of Greece's declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire on Sunday, April 2, on Fifth Avenue. Special guests included American Idol favorite Constantine Maroulis, Louis Mandylor ("My Big, Fat Greek Wedding") and Frank Dicopoulos ("Guiding Light" on CBS). Grand Marshals were New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and business leaders Andrew A. Athens of Chicago, John G. Rangos Sr. of Pittsburgh and Paul Stathoulopoulos of New York.

The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is the nation's prime source of licensed merchant marine officers and is renowned internationally for its maritime education and training programs. Bush's visit to the 2006 Commencement Ceremony was the first time a sitting president visited the Merchant Marine Academy.