Leo Petrosky
Great Lakes History Log is presented by Filer Credit Union with offices in Manistee, Ludington, East Lake, and Bear Lake and the Mason County Historical Society, which operates the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, Historic White Pine Village and the Rose Hawley Archives in downtown Ludington.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
On Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, at 7:51 a.m., the planes from the Imperial Japanese Navy, under the command of Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, began bombing the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. The surprise attack was the most devastating military attack, by a foreign country, in the history of the United States and resulted in America’s entry into Word War II.
The attack resulted in the deaths of 2,467 people, which included 2,403 American citizens, 2,335 of which were members of the U.S. military. One of the survivors of that attack, and likely the last Mason County resident who was at Pearl Harbor, was Leo Petrosky, who passed away in 2013.
As our nation observes Pearl Harbor Day, I would like to pay tribute to Leo Petrosky.
In 2011, I had the honor to interview Leo. He was one of the 84,000 uniformed Americans who was at the U.S. naval base on Oahu on Dec. 7, 1941.
Petrosky was born in Helvetia, Pennsylvania, the son of John and Annie (Mozek) Petrosky. When he was 4 years old, the Petrosky family moved to Detroit.
USS Pennsylvania
In 1940, on his 18th birthday, he joined the U.S. Navy. Following basic training, he was assigned to the USS Pennsylvania, the flagship of the U.S. Fleet. He was an aviation mechanic, with the rank of petty officer second class, working on the reconnaissance planes on the ship.
Because the Pennsylvania was damaged during a storm in November 1941 and was in dry dock at the Pearl Harbor shipyard, Petrosky was assigned to a PBY Catalina airplane crew on Ford Island, located in the middle of the harbor. A PBY was a patrol bomber that could land in the water. During World War II the planes were used in anti-submarine warfare, patrol bombing, convoy escorts, search and rescue missions and cargo transport. While working on the PBYs, Petrosky earned his pilot’s certificate.
He was 19 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
“Just before Pearl Harbor we went through a storm and had green water go 60 feet above the entire ship,” Petrosky said. “Our squadron was housed on the second floor and we were overlooking the USS Arizona. I heard a ruckus, so I looked out the window and saw the first bomb hit the Arizona. There was no doubt in my mind that this was war.”
Jimmy Hoffa
The following day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on the Empire of Japan. The vote was 82-0 in the Senate and 388-1 in the House of Representatives. The only no vote came from Congresswoman Jeanette Rankin of Montana. The first woman to be elected to Congress, Rankin was an outspoken pacifist. Roosevelt signed the declaration at 4:10 p.m. that same day. Three days later, On Dec. 11, 1941, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.
Petrosky later served in the battles for Midway, Guadalcanal and Bougainville.
In March 1946, Petrosky married Margarette G. Gareis, who passed away in June 1996. Following her death, he was special friends with Geraldine Sands of Ludington until her death on July 28, 2010.
He left the Navy in 1949 and later bought property on the Manistee River. He spent most of the rest of his life working for Rockwell Collins International, an aerospace and defense company. He also spent a few years being the personal pilot for the notorious union boss Jimmy Hoffa.
Petrosky died on March 13, 2013 at the age of 91. He is buried at Trinity Cemetery in Manistee.
President Roosevelt addresses Congress on Dec. 8, 1941
President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech to a joint session of Congress, Monday, Dec. 8, 1941:
Mr. Vice President, and Mr. Speaker, and Members of the Senate and House of Representatives:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong: Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our Nation.
As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
But always will our whole Nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces with the unbounding determination of our people we will gain the inevitable triumph so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
The Mason County Historical Society is a non-profit charitable organization that was founded in 1937 that does not receive any governmental funding. It owns and operates the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum in Ludington, Historic White Pine Village in Pere Marquette Township, and The Rose Hawley Archives and the Mason County Emporium and Sweet Shop in downtown Ludington.
For more information about donating to and/or joining the Mason County Historical Society, visit masoncountymihistory.org.
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Receive daily MCP and OCP news briefings along with email news alerts for $10 a month. Your contribution will help us to continue to provide you with free local news.
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This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2025, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.
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