World War II Honoree

Thomas Harold Peterfesa

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Long Island, New York

Honored By

Helen Stromenger

SERVED AS CORPORAL WITH THE 141ST QUARTERMASTER TRUCKING OUTFIT AS SQUAD LEADER IN CHARGE OF FOUR GENERAL MOTORS 2 1/2 TON TRUCKS, TRUCKING SUPPLIES ACROSS 300 MILES OF YUKON WILDERNESS FROM WHITEHORSE TO DAWSON TO THE CANADIAN ENGINEERS FOR THE BUILDING OF THE ALCAN HIGHWAY. ON THE EUROPEAN FRONT, CROSSED BY CONVOY TO PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND IN APRIL 1944, THEN TO NORMANDY AT CHERBOURG, FRANCE ON JUNE 30, 1944. BASED AT TIRLEMONT, BELGIUM, TRUCKED SUPPLIES TO THE REAR LINE OF THE BATTLEFIELD IN CAMOUFLAGED TRACTOR TRAILERS ALONG MILITARY SUPPLY ROUTE 3 FROM ANTWERP TO LIEGE, BELGIUM WITH SUPPLY UNITS WHITE BALL, RED BALL AND THE ABC FORCES. HE WAS IN THE AREA WHEN THE ENEMY TRIED TO CUT OFF THE MAIN SUPPLY LINE FROM LIEGE IN A MASSIVE OFFENSIVE TO STOP U.S. TROOPS FROM ADVANCING INTO GERMANY. AFTER GERMANY SURRENDERED ON MAY 8, 1945, TRUCKED DISPLACED PERSONS TO THEIR HOMETOWNS AND GERMAN PRISONERS TO A LARGE FIELD LOCATED ALONG THE RHINE RIVER. IN RECOGNITION OF HIS SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY EARNED THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH FOUR BRONZE SERVICE STARS, THE HONORABLE DISCHARGE MEDAL, THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY FROM AUGUST 6, 1941 UNTIL DISCHARGED ON OCTOBER 2, 1945.