Nikólaos “Níkos” Pappás

Greek: Νικόλαος Παππάς Admiral Nikolaos Pappas (1930–2013), commander of the destroyer Velos , who mutinied in 1973 in protest against the Regime of the Colonels, later Chief of the Navy and government minister. Greek and foreign decorations: Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) Grand Commander of the Order of Honour (Greece) Gold Cross of the Order of George I (Greece) First Class of the Medal of Military Merit (Greece) Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria Municipal Council of Kymi - Aliveri announcement posted on Monday, April 8, 2013: Heroic Kymiot Admiral Nikos Pappas, who had spearheaded the mutiny of the Navy against the junta of the colonels, passed away in the early hours of Friday, April 5. In May 1973, as commander of the destroyer "Velos", and when the mutiny had already been betrayed, he suddenly withdrew from the NATO exercise in the Mediterranean, where he also participated together with 31 other officers, non-commissioned officers and sailors, sailed on the "Velos" to Italy, where they requested political asylum. The "Velos" mutiny in 1973 had an international impact and was a significant blow to the image of the dictatorial regime abroad. After the fall of the dictatorship, Nikos Pappas assumed important positions in the Navy, was the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff and participated in the interim government of I. Grivas and the the national unity government of Zolotas, as Minister for Mercantile Marine. Nikolaos Pappas was born in 1930 in Kymi, Evia and studied at the School of Naval Cadets, the School of Navigation and Direction of the British Navy and the School of War and Defence of NATO in Rome. The Municipal Council of the Municipality of Kymi - Aliveri, after the announcement of the loss of Admiral N. Pappas, in its extraordinary meeting decided: - To express deepest condolences to his family - A delegation of the Municipality led by the Mayor to attend the funeral procession at the 1st Cemetery of Athens on Tuesday 9/4/13 and then at Paralia Kymi where his burial will take place. - The City Hall in Kymi to remain closed on Tuesday 9/4/2013.