World War II Honoree

Anthony John Petralia

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

New York City, New York

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Private First Class. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps, July 23, 1942 at New York City, New York. His boot camp training took place with the Tenth Recruit Battalion Training Regiment; Marine Corps Base at Parris Island, South Carolina. Later he completed his Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger, North Carolina. Served with the Twenty-Second Marine Regiment in the Territory of Hawaii, assigned to Headquarters Company, Second Battalion and Fifth Amphibious Corps. He died in the Line of Duty during a training accident, while participating in field maneuvers on Pauwela Point, Hawaii. Two U.S. Navy SBD-Dauntless Dive Bombers carrying live ordnance collided over the Point on December 6, 1943, and one bomb was dislodged, detonating among the trainees. Twenty Marines lost their lives and twenty five were injured from this incident. This Marine was interred in the Makawao Cemetery, Wailukii, Hawaii. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, the family of this Marine received his remains for burial, interred in an unknown cemetery.