V4V-07-16-25-Peter Stanley Krakoviak -3min49sec

This is the VIC 4 VETS, Weekly Honored Veteran.

SUBMITTED BY: Kristen Sanders – Vic Head _____________________________________________________________

Hi Vic and Ken,
Peter Stanley Krakoviak (krak-oh-vee-ak) My Grandfather

Sept 1924 - Jan 1979 (he died when I was 16 months old so unfortunately I don't remember him)

inducted to the Navy from Richmond, VA in March 1943 when he was 19yrs old and was honorably discharged in 1946.

He was a qualified Coxwain in amphibious landing craft & landing ships and it's our understanding that he "drove" the landing craft onto Omaha Beach 5 times full of soldiers.

His discharge papers list service at:

-Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, MD

-United States Amphibious Training Base Solomons, MD

-USS Strive (AM-117) which was an Auk-class minesweeper acquired by the United States Navy for the dangerous task of removing mines from minefields laid in the water to prevent ships from passing.

-United States Amphibious Base Camp Bradford Norfolk, VA

-U.S. Naval Advanced Amphibious Base (USNAAB), Falmouth, England which was one of several US Naval Advance Bases established in the UK to support the Allied invasion of Europe.

-Stationed at Vicarage Barracks in Plymouth, England

received:

-The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze stars

-Victory Medal for WW2

-European-African Campaign Medal with 1 star

Not much is actually known from his time in service since like many others he didn't talk about it. Once he returned home to Richmond he married my grandmother, Sylvia, in 1951 and they were married until his death in 1979.

Thanks Ken & Vic for telling these stories of our American heroes. Please let me know when this will air so I can make sure I'm listening, although being a
Vic Head I'm a daily listener. Kristen Sanders
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