Colonel Smirnio-topoulos was born in the village of Mystras, Greece in 1916. Recruited as a young law student to join the Royal Hellenic Air Force, Smirniotopoulos graduated from the Air Force Academy at the top of his class.

He met his future wife Panayiota Athanasiadou in 1939 in her hometown of Thessaloniki. During the Italian invasion of Greece in 1940, Col. Smirniotopoulos participated in the air defense of Thessaloniki flying Polish PZLs.

After German forces invaded, disbanding the military, Col. Smirniotopoulos was recruited by British intelligence (MI5) and escaped occupied Greece to join the Royal Air Force in North Africa. He flew Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes, participating in the decisive battle of El Alamein against Rommel’s forces and in the siege of Tobruk.

After the Allied victory, Smirniotopoulos returned to Greece. Then an active duty Air Force officer, Smirniotopoulos was targeted by communist fighters in a grenade launch. He received shrapnel wounds and subsequently lost an eye and his ability to fly in 1947. Torn apart by war, Smirniotopoulos was reunited with his beloved Panayiota at this time.

Col. Smirniotopoulos’ wounds led to his medical transfer to the U.S. for treatment. Panayiota joined him in 1950 and they settled in the Washington, DC area where they raised four children. Though a Greek national throughout his life, he considered himself a patriotic American.

Col. Smirniotopoulos was employed as the Secretary to the Air Attaché at the Embassy of Greece starting in 1950 until his retirement in 1981. He remained an active duty member of the Greek Air Force until his death.