World War II Honoree

Frank J. Petrarca

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS, U.S. ARMY, MEDICAL DETACHMENT, 145TH INFANTRY, 37TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: AT HORSESHOE HILL, NEW GEORGIA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, JULY 27, 1943. ENTERED SERVICE AT: CLEVELAND, OHIO. GO 86, DECEMBER 23, 1943. CITATION FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY IN ACTION ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS PETRARCA ADVANCED WITH THE LEADING TROOP ELEMENT TO WITHIN 100 YARDS OF THE ENEMY FORTIFICATIONS WHERE MORTAR AND SMALL-ARMS FIRE CAUSED A NUMBER OF CASUALTIES. SINGLING OUT THE MOST SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, HE WORKED HIS WAY TO THE AID OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS SCOTT, LYING WITHIN 75 YARDS OF THE ENEMY, WHOSE WOUNDS WERE SO SERIOUS THAT HE COULD NOT EVEN BE MOVED OUT OF THE DIRECT LINE OF FIRE. PRIVATE FIRST CLASS PETRARCA FEARLESSLY ADMINISTERED FIRST AID TO PRIVATE FIRST CLASS SCOTT AND 2 OTHER SOLDIERS AND SHIELDED THE FORMER UNTIL HIS DEATH. ON JULY 29, 1943, PRIVATE FIRST CLASS PETRARCA DURING AN INTENSE MORTAR BARRAGE, WENT TO THE AID OF HIS SERGEANT WHO HAD BEEN PARTLY BURIED IN A FOXHOLE UNDER THE DEBRIS OF A SHELL EXPLOSION, DUG HIM OUT, RESTORED HIM TO CONSCIOUSNESS AND CAUSED HIS EVACUATION. ON JULY 31, 1943 AND AGAINST THE WARNING OF A FELLOW SOLDIER, HE WENT TO THE AID OF A MORTAR FRAGMENT CASUALTY WHERE HIS PATH OVER THE CREST OF A HILL EXPOSED HIM TO ENEMY OBSERVATION FROM ONLY 20 YARDS DISTANCE. A TARGET FOR INTENSE KNEE MORTAR AND AUTOMATIC FIRE, HE RESOLUTELY WORKED HIS WAY TO WITHIN 2 YARDS OF HIS OBJECTIVE WHERE HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED BY HOSTILE MORTAR FIRE. EVEN ON THE THRESHOLD OF DEATH HE CONTINUED TO DISPLAY VALOR AND CONTEMPT FOR THE FOE, RAISING HIMSELF TO HIS KNEES, THIS INTREPID SOLDIER SHOUTED DEFIANCE AT THE ENEMY, MADE A LAST ATTEMPT TO REACH HIS WOUNDED COMRADE AND FELL IN GLORIOUS DEATH.