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 Martin
(Marty) Cuthbert Petras was born in Cleveland, Ohio in July, 1921.
Cleveland, on Lake Erie, was at that date the fifth largest city in the
United States. At age 11, Martin began helping his father and mother
with their retail radio and appliance business. Active in Boy Scouts,
YMCA, weightlifting and high school football, Martin graduated in 1940.
He worked in a defense plant as a machinist until April, 1942, when he
joined the U.S. Army. In November, 1942, he was commissioned as a 2nd
Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers.
Marty Served with the Army 612th Engineers as platoon leader and company
commander through October, 1945. His unit served 2 years in ETO as part
of 1st Army, VII Corps. The 612th was awarded 5 battle stars: Normandy
D-Day Invasion, Battle of the Bulge, Defeat of the German Wermacht and
joined the Russian forces on the Elbe River in April of 1945 and VE Day,
May, 1945. The World War II Vets of the 612th Engineers will hold their
62nd Annual Reunion in September 2007 in Liberty, Missouri. Martin is
planning on being there.
After the war, Marty served in the American Occupied Zone for 2 years
from 1947-48. He was recalled to active duty in Korea for 18 months from
1951-52.
Marty spend his civilian career in the construction/engineering field
and retired at age 72 after 25 years with the Morrison-Knudsen
Corporation in Cleveland.
Marty was happily married to Pat (Irmgard Hunger) for 49 years. She
passed away in 1995. They raised 3 sons and a daughter: Marty, Chris,
Chuck and Sue. |