Orlando A. “Pete” Petrillo was born on March 14, 1915, in Republic, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He moved to Lorain, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Lorain High School Class of 1933B.

During WWII, he served in the Third Division, Eighth Air Force, as a Staff Sergeant with the 709th Squadron of the 447th Bomb Group stationed in England. He had 35 bombing missions as a gunner on a B-17. His awards include the European, African, Middle Eastern Ribbon with 3 Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Air Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Distinguished Flying Cross (for saving his radio operator`s life). After returning from combat, he was a Central Fire Control Instructor on B-29`s.

Pete was a Prudential agent and staff manager from 1946-1977. After retirement, he and his wife, June, traveled extensively in the U.S. and Europe.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Elyria, a former Charter Member of Community Methodist Church, Life Member and Past Commander of American Legion Post 12, and Fifth District Chaplain Auxiliary Police. Pete was a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a Life Member of the Italian-Americans Veterans Post 1 Lorain. He was a Charter Member and First Finance Officer of Amvets in Lorain, and Life Member of the Eighth Air Force Historical Society, and served eight years on the Board of Directors. He was the last survivor of the Lorain Number 5 Volunteer Fire Station, a Trustee of the American Legion Buckeye Boys State, and served under three mayors as a member of the Elyria Civil Service Commission.

He received the American Legion Man of the Year Award in 1969, the Prudential Community Achievement Award, was a charter member of the Amherst Workshop Players, and was active in the American Lung Association and Girl Scouts.

Pete passed away on November 12, 2007, at the age of 92, in Elyria, Ohio, and he is now buried in the Brookdale Cemetery, Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com