World War II Honoree

Peter J. Petropoulos

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Queens, New York

Honored By

Joe Arsena

DRAFTED ON MARCH 6, 1941 AND ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE ARMY. BASED AT CAMP GORDON, GEORGIA. IN JANUARY 1944, LEFT THE UNITED STATES AND ARRIVED IN ENGLAND AS PART OF THE D-DAY INVASION BUILD-UP WITH THE 22ND INFANTRY REGIMENT, 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION. ON JUNE 6, THE 4TH INFANTRY DIVISION LANDED AT UTAH BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE. WAS BADLY WOUNDED BY AN EXPLODING ENEMY ARTILLERY SHELL ON JUNE 7. SUFFERED SEVERE WOUNDS AND WAS PICKED UP BY GERMAN TROOPS THE FOLLOWING DAY, BEING HELD PRISONER WITHOUT FOOD OR MEDICAL AID IN MONTEBOURG, FRANCE. ELEVEN DAYS LATER, ON JUNE 19, WAS REPATRIATED WHEN ALLIED TROOPS OVERRAN MONTEBOURG. WAS SHIPPED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND SENT TO RHOADS GENERAL HOSPITAL IN UTICA, NEW YORK. AWARDED A SILVER STAR AND THE PURPLE HEART.