Captain John D. Raikos

Biography and Wartime Service

John Demetris Raikos was born in 1921 in Indiana to Margaret Kafouros (1896-1979) and James Nicholas Raikos (1890-1958), a couple hailing from Greece. John was a graduate of Manual High School.

John D. Raikos joined the Army on January 30, 1942. He was part of the original cadre which reactivated the 83rd Infantry Division at Camp Atterbury on August 15, 1942. He was at the Tennessee Maneuvers and later went to Fort Benning. John Raikos came ashore in the Normandy Campaign as 1st Lieutenant with 329th Infantry landing at Omaha Beach. He served as a liaison officer, platoon leader and Regimental Headquarters Company Commander and was eventually promoted to Captain.

On September 1, 1944, he and Lt. James Bagley liberated Tours, France, and Mayor Albert Joubert made John Raikos a 'Tours Citizen d' Honneur and Grand Marshall' at the 1964 liberation commemoration with a parade in his honor. Raikos was also honored with the esteemed citation from Yom H'ashowa Holocaust Remembrance for his role with the 83rd Division's liberation of Nazi concentration camps. He was one of the first Americans to make radio contact with the Russians. He served as Provisional Governor of Deggendorf Germany, before returning home to Indiana.

After the war John Raikos married Mary Pancol on August 25, 1946.

He continued his military career in the reserves, graduated from the Army's Command and General Staff College and retired as Colonel in 1982. Raikos was extremely proud of serving his country and remained active in the 83rd Infantry Division Association, serving as its Judge Advocate until 2003. He was a member of the World War II roundtable. Raikos also attended Indiana University Bloomington undergraduate and law schools in 1950 was admitted as an attorney to the practice of law in Indiana, which he actively pursued until his January 8, 2003 stroke.

He joined the law firm of Cook Mendenhall and Bose and later formed, Raikos, Barton, Rochford and Thomas, which became Raikos and Raikos. Raikos was a lawyer's lawyer; tenacious, fiercely loyal, compassionate and always eager to serve as advocate and adviser with generous time and open to all. A warrior and a healer. His soldiering moved to the courtroom and he enjoyed an illustrious and varied legal career, championing causes from "Step 'n Fetchit," one of Hollywood's first African American actors, in his defamation suit against CBS for its portrayal of him as a chicken stealing, crap shooting, slow shuffling Negro, to an original action in the U.S. Supreme Court of behalf of Robert L. Montgomery to mandate Congress to cease deficit spending and restore the gold standard.

He successfully tried numerous cases which garnered media attention from procuring the release by a tearful jury of a client wrongfully committed to Central State Mental Hospital, to will contest of a murdered bank heiress from 1st Amendment to Sunday Blue Laws and OSHA, and was a pioneer in using psychologists in jury voir dire and selection, resulting in substantial verdicts. He was elected attorney for the Indianapolis Sanitary District and was a founding board member and legal counsel for many years for the Indianapolis Kroger Credit Union (KEMBA).

Raikos also enjoyed the coal business with Kentucky Mountain Coal Co. and Western Minerals Corp. and prior to that his business activities as President in developing South Side Sanitary Landfill, American Reclamation and Earth Equipment Leasing Co. John lived everyday to the fullest, each day after the war as a gift. 'Time and tide wait for no man.' Driven and determined, he raced up and down steps rather than wait for elevators and moved always with purpose and energy. John was proud of his Greek heritage and proudest of all of his family. First, foremost and always he was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and grandfather, never missing the opportunity for a family gathering filled with his cooking, stories and love. His emotions were as transparent as his words were direct. Raikos was a member of the Indianapolis Murat Shrine Temple, Scottish Rite, the Mystic Tie Lodge, American Legion Broad Ripple Kennington Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Reserve Officers Association, Indianapolis Colombia Club, IAC, Indianapolis and Indiana State and American Bar Associations and the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church.

John D. Raikos passed away on July 24, 2006, and is buried at the Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana. Survivors include his loving wife of 60 years, Mary P. Raikos (1923-2016).

Thanks to Margo (Raikos) McLaughlin for sharing this story and the photos of her dad

Gallery

click on the images to enlarge

Click for aditional information about John D. Raikos on Thijs Hodiamont's website 83rdinfdivdocs.org