WASHINGTON, DC, November 25, 2024 – Decorated Vietnam War veteran John Calamos presented fellow distinguished Vietnam veteran George Hiotis with the 2024 Calamos Service Award  at the National World War II Memorial on October 30, 2024. 
  
To see the video of this presentation, click here. 
For photos from the OXI Service Awards, click here.

Every year since 2020 the Calamos Service Award has been presented to a Greek-American Vietnam War Veterans for their dedicated service in the Vietnam War and many contributions in the spirit of John Calamos.

Calamos, who serves as Chairman of the National Hellenic Museum and as Chairman and Global Chief Investment Officer of Calamos Investments, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross by President Nixon for “extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight under heavy hostile attack near Thuong Duc Special Forces Camp in Southeast Asia on 28 September 1968.”  Calamos received the Foundation’s 2019 Jaharis Service Award  for his service and for his many contributions to the community and to the world. 

Born in Achladokampos, Greece, in 1944, George D. Hiotis made his way to the United States in 1958 aboard the S.S. Queen Frederica at the age of 14. Hiotis, known as “The Greek” by his fellow soldiers, served with distinction in the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division – the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment (Manchu). Promoted to Sergeant, Hiotis served from July 1967 to July 1969, with deployments that included a year in Vietnam, 10 months in Germany, and brief stops in Japan, the Philippines, and Australia. His bravery was recognized with numerous military honors, including the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal.