Kostas Sarantidis was born in Greece, but spent most of the age of fighting against French colonialism in Vietnam with the name Nguyen Van Lap.

My name is Kostas Sarantidis.

My father is an Asian immigrant, a typical worker and works in machinery stores.

In 1940, when Sarantidis was 13, fascist Germany occupied Greece.

One day, we bought cigarettes from farmers to exchange paper from the Germans at the black market in Vardaris, Salonica.

Then until they left the way to Germany.

Lieutenant Kostas Sarantidis / Nguyen Van Lap in 1950. Photo: VNA.

Sarantidis met a man-sense of a real estate in a German barracks in Zagreb, now in Croatia.

When World War II ended, Sarantidis came to Italy and was arrested by American soldiers at the border, and was transferred through prisoners in Trieste, Naples, Rome and finally Cinecitta.

A Greek fellow countryman belonging to the French Army Le Duong of France asked Sarantidis to join and fight in this force for 5 years.

We went to the French Embassy, signed a document without questioning or asking for explanation.

Le Duong Battalion of Sarantidis stationed in Sidi Bel Abbes, is now the capital of Algeria.

Army Le Duong then 80% of soldiers were German, Sarantidis talked about how to handle German prisoners after World War II.

Once a day, trucks to Le Duong army barracks where Sarantidis stationed and poured down large coverings containing military uniforms and talented gas so that soldiers arrived in the place where they were not present as the French force

We do not participate in many battles in the South.

The officers presented that game to win or promote.

Kostas Sarantidis / Nguyen Van Lap in 1950. Photo: VNA.

The commander of the unit of Sarantidis, Lieutenant Christiani, to Saigon and turned back then 3-4 days and carried a beautiful girl.

I decided to go to the officer room and discovered she was looking for something between the documents.

Sarantidis then knew that the girl was a Viet Minh member nicknamed Lily.

During a week, Sarantidis's unit arrested a suspected person as Viet Minh.

You fight for your homeland as our ancestors fighting for their homeland, as the people of me fight against the Germans.

Sarantidis, Merinos and Vietnamese prisoners are open, take a Bren Middle, two grenades and a bullet.

Sarantidis and Merinos waited for two nights for Vietnamese guerrillas to enter the forest with the unit, then six people turned to meet them.

They killed a calf, too much to pay us and the number of guns carrying.

Sarantidis said that Viet Minh forces only owned three French guns with different lengths, offensive officers, some soldiers carrying knives, swords or using very old guns.

President Nguyen Minh Triet (white shirt) shook hands with Veterans Kostas Sarantidis / Nguyen Van Lap (green vest) at Chairman in June 2010.

Nguyen Van Lap soldier said the period in the 1946-1948 period, the first three years of the resistance against the French, very harsh.

The night before the campaign, he cooked rice and stealed into rice squeezes like the way our Europeans kneaded flour, Mr. Nguyen Van Lap said.

Nguyen Van Lap said that there was no difference between soldiers with officers in Viet Minh forces.

He was later sent to school and met a German origin officer of the Vietnamese People's Army.

In a battle near Phu Cang Station, Quang Nam Province, Middle Gunios Nguyen Van Lap shot down a Morane-Salnier plane and arrested three French pilots.

After the Geneva President in 1954, Nguyen Van Lap set out to North and married 4 years later.

From the day of returning to Greece, I always thought about Vietnam, he said and said she was happy to receive Vietnamese news Dai Thang in the resistance against the US.

The Greek and Vietnam Flags are covered with Kostas Sarantidis / Nguyen Van Lap in June 30th.

Nguyen Van Lap participated in many activities to build relations between Vietnam and Greece.

Nguyen Van Lap was awarded the President Nguyen Minh Triet awarded the Friendship Medal and decided to grant Vietnamese nationality on January 7, 2011.

The Greek soldier of the Vietnamese People's Army died on June 25 at the age of 94. In the funeral was held for 4 days later, the Greek and Vietnam flag was covered with him.

Nobody knows about his destiny.

I am proud of what I have and will continue to devote to Vietnam with your whole heart, because they deserve it.