DAVID E. PETRIE

David E. Petrie passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 21, 2013. He was 90 years old. He was born on April 12, 1922, in Logansport, Indiana, the first child and son of Ralph and Ruby Petrie. In 1940, he graduated from Logansport High School and started attendance at Indiana Central College, located in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1940. World War II interrupted his college years, and in 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. He obtained his pilot's wings in 1944 in Texas. Shortly thereafter, he obtained his officers commission as a second lieutenant. Operational orders were then issued, and he was sent to the China, Burma, India Theatre as a C-47 pilot, assigned to the 10th Air Force, Third Combat Cargo Group, Combat Cargo Command. Combat Cargo Command flew into combat and supported ground troops in Burma and China with air drops to the first ever Army composite group known as Merrill's Marauders. Today they are known as the Army Rangers. Air drop missions were also flown for the British in Burma. Operations also involved "Flying the Hump," the air supply route from India to Western China when the latter had been cut off from the West by the Japanese. While flying 241 missions in China, Burma, and India, Mr. Petrie had conferred upon him four Distinguished Flying Crosses for aerial campaigns at Imphal, the upper Assam River Valley, and Myitkyina. Other military decorations included five Air Medals for his service, and upon honorable discharge, the Asiatic Pacific Theatre Medal, the War Memorial Medal from the Republic of China and the Ruptured Duck, given to pilots surviving service and exhibiting good conduct while serving their country. After being released from the combat theatre as a first lieutenant, and being discharged from active duty with the Army Air Corps in July, 1945, Mr. Petrie remained in the Air Force Reserves until 1957. He resumed college at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where he obtained his undergraduate degree and master's degree in English and journalism. He abandoned his pursuit of his doctorate degree in English three hours short of the required credits as he wished to enter the newspaper business. Prior to starting in the newspaper business, he entered the work force in the Chicago area - working for Ryerson Steel. On June 25, 1948, David E. Petrie and Lois Jean Harper Petrie were married in Champaign, Illinois. The two had met during high school in Logansport, Indiana. Mr. Petrie then embarked on his chosen career of the newspaper business. In 1952, he became the owner, editor and publisher of the Galveston Leader, in Galveston, Indiana. On August 1, 1955, a son was born to him and Jean Petrie. He was J. David Petrie, born in Kokomo, Indiana. In 1958, Mr. Petrie purchased the Riverdale Free Press located in Riverdale, California, where he published several small, local papers, most notably the Riverdale Free Press and the Caruthers Gazette. He was active in the community as a newspaper editor, Lions Club member and past president, Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of The Elks and E Clampus Vitus. He was also a lifelong member of the Masonic Temple, Tipton Lodge, in Logansport, Indiana. Until 1973, Mr. Petrie was involved in the newspaper and commercial printing business in Riverdale. In that same year, he sold the business and moved to Fullerton, California, and other later locations in Orange County. Mr. Petrie had become a general contractor and was involved in the construction business in Southern California until 1991, when he and Jean Petrie moved to Exeter, California and entered retirement. In 2001, the couple moved to Fresno, California, where they resided. The couple was fortunate enough to have shared their 60th wedding anniversary together before Jean Petrie passed away in December, 2008. David E. Petrie is survived by his only son, J. David Petrie and daughter-in-law, Susan L. Petrie. A Celebration of Life will be planned for some time this spring.