A Memorial to an American Who Saved Hundreds of Thousands
On a February day in 2016, hundreds of Greeks gathered in Volos to dedicate a monument to a man most had never met. Asa K. Jennings, a YMCA employee from upstate New York, had coordinated the evacuation of approximately 300,000 Greek refugees from Smyrna in 1922, during the Asia Minor Catastrophe. He was 23 years old. The memorial stands in Volos as a tangible record of that rescue—and a bridge between a cataclysmic moment in Greek history and the families whose lives depended on one American's determination to act.
When you visit the Asa Jennings Memorial, you're not looking at a grand monument. You're standing before an inscription that reads: "The savior of 300,000 Greeks in Smyrna in 1922," followed by a line that captures something of Jennings' own philosophy: "…within the heart of every man sleeps a lion…" The memorial was initiated by George Moulas, then president of Volos's Municipal Council, after he began researching the Armenian catastrophe and discovered Jennings' largely forgotten role in one of the twentieth century's most urgent humanitarian efforts.
What Jennings Did, and Why It Matters
In September 1922, Turkish nationalist forces entered Smyrna (modern-day Izmir), and the Greek population faced massacre or deportation. Jennings, working for the YMCA, began organizing the evacuation of Greek refugees—and later, Armenians and Jews—using merchant ships and assistance from the U.S. Navy. In the first seven days, he coordinated the removal of approximately 250,000 refugees. In total, over ten months, approximately 1,250,000 people were evacuated from ports across the Aegean and Black Sea coasts. Most came through Mytilene, on Lesbos, which at its peak held around 160,000 refugees. Jennings was later recognized by Greece with its highest medals for valor; he died in 1933. To stand at this memorial is to acknowledge not just history, but the contingency of survival—that these hundreds of thousands existed because one person chose to act.
Finding the Memorial and Making the Most of Your Visit
The memorial is located in Volos, a port city about three hours north of Athens. It sits within the city proper, and visiting it works best as part of a broader exploration of Volos itself. Approach it on foot if you can, allowing yourself time to read the inscription slowly and consider the scale of what it commemorates. There is no entrance fee and no formal hours—the memorial is accessible as public space. If you want deeper context, bring a copy of Roger Jennings' book "Waking the Lion" (written by Asa's grandson) or Christos Papoutsis' "Ships of Mercy," both of which document the rescue in detail. Visit early in the morning or late afternoon, when Volos' waterfront is quieter and you can stand with the inscription without distraction. Plan to spend twenty to thirty minutes here—not because there is much to see, but because there is much to absorb.
Nearby in Volos and Beyond
After visiting the memorial, walk along Argonafton Street, the seaside promenade, which runs parallel to the commercial heart of the city along Ermou Street. The Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum, one of Greece's finest smaller museums, holds collections that anchor Volos to its deep past—well worth an hour of your time. If you want to extend your understanding of twentieth-century displacement, the 1922 Refugee Museum on Lesbos (accessible by ferry) documents the same catastrophe from the perspective of those who arrived as refugees. In Volos itself, you can also visit Agios Konstantinos church on the promenade, or walk through Anavros Park and down to Anavros Beach for a swim. The Brickworks Museum and the Rooftile and Brickworks Museum are other nearby options if your visit extends longer.
Begin your visit to Volos by finding the memorial. Let it anchor your understanding of why this city exists as it does today—built partly by and for people who arrived with nothing but their lives.