Career
Petrarca joined the Army from his birth city of Cleveland, Ohio in October 1940, and by July 27, 1943 was serving as a private first class in the Medical Detachment of the 145th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. On that day, at Horseshoe Hill on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands, he provided aid to three wounded soldiers despite intense enemy fire. Two days later, on July 29, he helped another wounded soldier who had been partially buried during a mortar barrage.
On July 31, he again braved intense hostile fire to aid a wounded comrade, but was killed before he could reach the soldier.
Petrarca, killed on his 25th birthday, was buried at Calvary Cemetery in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Singling out the most seriously wounded, he worked his way to the aid of Pfc Petrarca fearlessly administered first aid to On 29 July 1943, 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.