A decorated U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II, George T. Panichas served as a tail gunner in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, completing 50 missions over enemy occupied Europe. He received the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, three Battle Stars for service in the European theatre, the Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster, and a personal citation from the commanding general of the 15th Air Force.  In 2000, Panichas received the ‘Special Diploma’, awarded by the French government to soldiers of the Allied Forces for their contribution in the fight to liberate France in World War II. In October 2008, the State of Rhode Island dedicated the Veterans Memorial Cemetery administration building in his honor. Panichas was the first Greek-American elected to state office in Rhode Island.