Manolis Bikakis: The "Greek Rambo" and Hero of Cyprus

Bill Giannopoulos, Greek City TimesReading Time: 4–5 minutes

Manolis Bikakis, a Cretan-born hero, earned the title "Greek Rambo" for his extraordinary bravery during the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. His story, though lesser-known, places him among the greatest heroes of Hellenism.

Born in 1954 in Asi Gonia, a village between Chania and Rethymnon in Crete, Bikakis served in the 1st Parachute Squadron in Maleme in 1974. When Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, Greece—under a CIA-installed military dictatorship—offered minimal support. Bikakis’ squadron was among the few deployed to defend Cyprus.

As their planes approached Nicosia airport, flying just two to three meters above the sea, they faced heavy fire from both Turkish forces and Cypriot Greeks, who mistook them for enemy aircraft. One plane was shot down by friendly fire, killing all aboard except Thanasis Zafiriou, who survived with severe injuries.

Amid the chaos, 20-year-old Bikakis was separated from his unit, presumed dead by his comrades. Alone on a hill west of Nicosia in Agios Dometios, he carried a PAO (Non-Reversible Cannon) and eight missiles. Knowing the hill’s capture would lead to the fall of Nicosia airport, Bikakis stood his ground.

His first missile destroyed a Turkish tank, forcing its crew to flee. To avoid detection, he relocated with his heavy weapon and remaining missiles. From his new position, he obliterated a second tank, killing its crew. As Turkish tanks maneuvered, Bikakis systematically destroyed four more, leaving him with just two missiles. Spotting Turkish infantry taking cover in a building, he fired his final missiles, devastating the structure. The exact number of casualties remains unknown, but his actions single-handedly halted a Turkish advance that threatened Nicosia and its airport.

For four days, Bikakis survived alone in the summer heat, armed only with a machine gun he found. He eventually located a building with a telephone and contacted his superiors:

“Forward, Commander, this is Bikakis.”
“Where are you, my child? Are you alive? Are you well?”
“I’m well, Commander, at the FORD delegation. I haven’t eaten in four days. Send food and water.”
“Wait, I’m sending a vehicle. You’re in a danger zone.”

Reunited with his unit, Bikakis returned to Greece after the invasion. Despite his commander’s petition for recognition, the Greek state never awarded him a medal during his lifetime. Bikakis quietly resumed life in Crete, working as a builder and raising a family, seeking neither fame nor honors.

Tragically, Bikakis died in a car accident on October 22, 1994, on the GR-8A road between Corinth and Patras. Only in 2015, over 40 years after his heroic stand and 21 years after his death, was he posthumously honored.

Manolis Bikakis’ courage and selflessness cement his legacy as the “Greek Rambo,” a true hero of Cyprus.