World War II Honoree

George E. Petro

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Clarksburg, West Virginia

Honored By

Colonel (R) Emil C. Zimmermann USA and Mrs. Donna M. Zimmermann

Relationship

Brother-In-Law and Sister-in-law

Served as an Enlisted Marine on USS Seattle. Went to OCS and was Commissioned a 2LT. Deployed with the First Marine Division and saw combat action on Okinawa. He was severely wounded, initially thought to be KIA. One Corpsman saw he was alive and had him evacuated for Medical treatment. He was evacuated to a Hospital Ship off the coast of Okinawa. Among his awards in WWII was the Purple Heart and WWII Victory Medal. Of his experiences, he said the most frightening was being on the Hospital ship off the coast of Okinawa, strapped to a hospital bed and have Kamikaze attacking the ship. Another comment he made was having Marines stripping his equipment they needed in combat and not being able to tell them he was alive. He was a Marine’s Marine.