LEWISTON, ME — On July 19, family, friends, parishioners, and Maine military members convened at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Lewiston to honor the memory of Pvt. John Yianitsas, who was killed in action in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945.

Pvt. Yianitsas, originally from Massachusetts, was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart for paying the ultimate sacrifice while assigned to the 327th Infantry Regiment of the famed 101st Airborne Division “Screaming Eagles.” The Purple Heart, the United States Armed Forces’ oldest decoration, is awarded to those wounded or killed in action while serving their country.

Yianitsas’ body was sadly never recovered after the battle, but a headstone stands in his honor at the Henri-Chappelle American Cemetery in Plobmbières, Belgium. At the time of his passing, Yianitsas’ family struggled with grief and never held a formal funeral or ceremony to celebrate his life.

William Kell, of Lewiston, is Pvt. Yianitsas’ uncle and next remaining kin. In July 2023, Kell’s daughter, Dr. Tina Kell, reached out to Melissa Landry, a constituent services representative for Senator Susan Collins, to assist in acquiring service records and medals for Pvt. Yianitsas. Landry worked with the National Personnel Records Center to validate Yianitsas’ records and confirmed that Yianitsas should be awarded the Purple Heart and the World War II Victory Medal.

Landry then reached out to the Maine Army National Guard to help give the Kells a ceremony deserving of their uncle’s sacrifice. The Guard performed military funeral honors and presented the Kell family with a United States flag that, through Senator Collins’ office, was flown over the US Capitol in Yianitsas’ honor.

Brigadier General Diane Dunn, The Adjutant General of the Maine National Guard, and Command Sergeant Major Alexander Clifford presented the Kell family with Pvt. Yianitsas’ Purple Heart, World War Two Victory Medal, and the Honorable Service Lapel Button WWII.

“We are extraordinarily honored to be a part of recognizing Pvt. Yianitsas’ sacrifice for our country,” said Dunn. “He paid the highest price a nation can ask, and we are proud to finally give his family the closure and recognition they deserve.”

Senator Collins also offered her gratitude through a personal letter written to the Kell family.

“Awarding Pvt. John Yianitsas with the Purple Heart and World War II Victory Medal is a long-overdue acknowledgment of his bravery and valor, and it has been an honor to assist the Kell family with this tribute,” said Senator Collins. “While we can never fully repay the debt we owe John and his fellow service members, we can preserve their legacies by ensuring that their achievements and sacrifices are never forgotten.”

Pvt. John Yianitsas