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George Dergalis, a World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam
War veteran, now resides in Wayland, Massachusetts.
George was born in 1928 and grew up in Greece. A
renowned artist, Georges love for art began at the age
of five when he was given a paintbrush, a sheet of
paper, and some watercolors and told to "shut up".
A draftee into the Greek Army during World War II,
Dergalis was captured and sent to a Nazi prison camp,
where he spent three years. After escaping from the camp
with some of his inmates, George attended an art school
in Italy. He was able to collect enough money to travel
to the United States. He first had a custodial job in a
hospital, and soon after was drafted into the Air Force.
He spoke very minimal English at the time, and did not
understand what was going on in the recruiting office,
where he got into the line for the Air Force, and all of
a sudden was off to his base. He served in the Air
Transport Service, picking up wounded and ill soldiers.
George served as a combat artist in the Vietnam War.
With this position, he had very high status, priority
even over field colonels. George painted many of the
battlefields. Following the wars, George has made many
symbolic sculptures and paintings based on his
experiences. His most recent work was the Wayland
Veterans Memorial. |
