World War II Honoree

Joseph Petrucci

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Seneca Falls, New York

Honored By

Joseph Petrucci

INDUCTED INTO ARMY JUNE 1944, AFTER BASIC AND INFANTRY TRAINING WAS SHIPPED TO CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNED TO THE 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION. WOUND UP ON THE Siegfried LINE IN GERMANY ON DECEMBER 14, 1944, 2 DAYS LATER THE GERMANS LAUNCHED THE GREATEST MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN THEIR HISTORY, SEEKING TO CAPTURE THE AMMUNITION DEPOT IN LIEGE, BELGIUM AND DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WOULD BECOME THE LARGEST LAND BATTLE EVER FOUGHT; WE RETREATED INTO BELGIUM AND SUFFERED TREMENDOUS LOSS OF LIFE AND EQUIPMENT. ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1944 OUR REGIMENT WAS HIT BY LUFTWAFFE PLANES KILLING MANY OF OUR BUDDIES. FINALLY THOUSANDS OF ALLIED PLANES FLEW OVER GERMANY, BOMBING THEIR CITIES AND THE GERMANS STARTED TO RETREAT. RECEIVED A MEDICAL DISCHARGE. LIVED IN A FOXHOLE EVERYDAY AND NIGHT FROM DECEMBER TO FEBRUARY, WAS FOUND FROZEN IN AN OUTPOST FOXHOLE. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRY BADGE AND THE PURPLE HEART.