Platoon Sergeant Valentine Felepeak Jr
Valentine Felepeak Jr was born on February 1st, 1919 in Allegheny, Pennsylvania to Roselia Malnowaski and Walenty (later written as Valentine) Filipiak, both Polish immigrants whose last name was misunderstood as “Felepeak” upon arriving in the US. While the family originally settled in Pennsylvania, they eventually moved to Marion, West Virginia where Valentine completed high school. However, lack of jobs and money due to the Great Depression likely prompted Valentine to choose a career in the Marine Corps to help support his family, since his father worked as a coal miner.
Neutrality Patrol
Enlisting on July 12th, 1938, Pvt Felepeak completed boot camp in a month and eventually transferred to the Marine Detachment, Receiving Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 11th. Here, he would be assigned to the Navy Yard Fire Department for six months until completing sea school for future duty on a ship. Finally, on October 7th, 1939, Pvt Felepeak boarded the USS St Louis as part of their marine detachment, a brand new ship that would carry out Neutrality Patrols for the next year. These were carried out on the Atlantic Coast, Caribbean, and South America due to rising tensions between the Axis powers in Europe. The first voyage began in January of 1940 and carried on until February, during which Felepeak would gain a promotion to Private First Class on the 23rd. The next eight months saw him qualify as a marksman, rise to Corporal, travel to Cuba, Jamaica, Port of Spain, and other places in South America before returning to Norfolk on October 28th.
Hawaii and Pearl Harbor
Shortly after, Pfc Felepeak transferred off the USS St Louis to Norfolk Navy Yard and to their Naval Hospital for an illness that would continue to cause him trouble throughout his service. Valentine was eventually deemed fit for duty, and on January 7th, 1941, he joined the USS Chester’s marine detachment bound for Pearl Harbor. The ship’s base of operations was now in Hawaiian waters which held the real threat of Japanese aggression. While here, he completed machine gun school at Oahu before returning to his ship for a voyage to the West Coast. During the trip, Felepeak was promoted to Sergeant on May 22nd and eventually returned to Hawaii on June 18th. Their next important voyage would begin on October 10th as an escort for two army transports delivering reinforcements to Manila, Philippines as a result of rising tensions between the US and Japan. Sgt Felepeak and the USS Chester remained there for eight days before making their way back to Hawaii by November 13th. Rest was not an option for this ship, and this may have spared her from destruction.
The USS Chester was chosen to accompany the USS Northampton and USS Enterprise, part of Task Force 8, to deliver Marine Fighting Squadron 211 to Wake Island. While returning from their mission, Pearl Harbor was subjected to a surprise attack by the Japanese Navy, which sunk six crutial ships, killed over 2,000 US servicemen, and caused the US to declare war on the Axis powers the very next day. Luckily, both US aircraft carriers, one being the USS Enterprise that the USS Chester was escorting, were out at sea and escaped destruction during the attack. This stroke of luck would turn the tide of the United States’ early battles in the Pacific, but for the time being, Task Force 8 patrolled Hawaiian waters for threats. On December 10th, their planes spotted and bombed a Japanese submarine, and USS Chester guided the USS Balch to a depth charge attack. These combined efforts led to the sinking of the I-70 with all hands.
The Homefront
This would be the last action seen by Sgt Felepeak, as he was transferred back to the states on January 2nd, eventually joining the 1st Guard Company, Newport, RI on March 31st. Eventually, Felepeak was promoted to Platoon Sergeant in September and qualified as a sharpshooter two months later. For the rest of his service, he floated around stations stateside before joining the Marine Base in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he later resided. Unfortunately, PlSgt Felepeak’s illness returned even worse than before, and he was bedridden for six months until he was medically discharged from the Marine Corps on February 14th, 1945. He would hear about the surrender of the Japanese and the subsequent conclusion of WW2 as a civilian instead of a serviceman in September of the same year.
Regardless, Valentine settled back into civilian life rather easily, but did run into some trouble. In 1947, he and other Democratic voters were confronted by a neighboring Republican GOP worker, who entered their house, picked up a sample ballot and stated, “We don’t permit anybody to vote like that down here” and then threatened to shoot them. Undeterred, Valentine immediately contacted authorities and testified at his trial. Later in life, he married Helen Bernatowicz and had a daughter whom he named after his mother Rosmarie. He became an avid member of the Disabled American Veterans organization due to his illness, and the Fleet Reserve Union #1 until his untimely death on July 1st, 1972. Valentine was buried in the Gettysburg National Cemetery surrounded by his friends and family.
Neutrality Patrol
Enlisting on July 12th, 1938, Pvt Felepeak completed boot camp in a month and eventually transferred to the Marine Detachment, Receiving Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 11th. Here, he would be assigned to the Navy Yard Fire Department for six months until completing sea school for future duty on a ship. Finally, on October 7th, 1939, Pvt Felepeak boarded the USS St Louis as part of their marine detachment, a brand new ship that would carry out Neutrality Patrols for the next year. These were carried out on the Atlantic Coast, Caribbean, and South America due to rising tensions between the Axis powers in Europe. The first voyage began in January of 1940 and carried on until February, during which Felepeak would gain a promotion to Private First Class on the 23rd. The next eight months saw him qualify as a marksman, rise to Corporal, travel to Cuba, Jamaica, Port of Spain, and other places in South America before returning to Norfolk on October 28th.
Hawaii and Pearl Harbor
Shortly after, Pfc Felepeak transferred off the USS St Louis to Norfolk Navy Yard and to their Naval Hospital for an illness that would continue to cause him trouble throughout his service. Valentine was eventually deemed fit for duty, and on January 7th, 1941, he joined the USS Chester’s marine detachment bound for Pearl Harbor. The ship’s base of operations was now in Hawaiian waters which held the real threat of Japanese aggression. While here, he completed machine gun school at Oahu before returning to his ship for a voyage to the West Coast. During the trip, Felepeak was promoted to Sergeant on May 22nd and eventually returned to Hawaii on June 18th. Their next important voyage would begin on October 10th as an escort for two army transports delivering reinforcements to Manila, Philippines as a result of rising tensions between the US and Japan. Sgt Felepeak and the USS Chester remained there for eight days before making their way back to Hawaii by November 13th. Rest was not an option for this ship, and this may have spared her from destruction.
The USS Chester was chosen to accompany the USS Northampton and USS Enterprise, part of Task Force 8, to deliver Marine Fighting Squadron 211 to Wake Island. While returning from their mission, Pearl Harbor was subjected to a surprise attack by the Japanese Navy, which sunk six crutial ships, killed over 2,000 US servicemen, and caused the US to declare war on the Axis powers the very next day. Luckily, both US aircraft carriers, one being the USS Enterprise that the USS Chester was escorting, were out at sea and escaped destruction during the attack. This stroke of luck would turn the tide of the United States’ early battles in the Pacific, but for the time being, Task Force 8 patrolled Hawaiian waters for threats. On December 10th, their planes spotted and bombed a Japanese submarine, and USS Chester guided the USS Balch to a depth charge attack. These combined efforts led to the sinking of the I-70 with all hands.
The Homefront
This would be the last action seen by Sgt Felepeak, as he was transferred back to the states on January 2nd, eventually joining the 1st Guard Company, Newport, RI on March 31st. Eventually, Felepeak was promoted to Platoon Sergeant in September and qualified as a sharpshooter two months later. For the rest of his service, he floated around stations stateside before joining the Marine Base in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he later resided. Unfortunately, PlSgt Felepeak’s illness returned even worse than before, and he was bedridden for six months until he was medically discharged from the Marine Corps on February 14th, 1945. He would hear about the surrender of the Japanese and the subsequent conclusion of WW2 as a civilian instead of a serviceman in September of the same year.
Regardless, Valentine settled back into civilian life rather easily, but did run into some trouble. In 1947, he and other Democratic voters were confronted by a neighboring Republican GOP worker, who entered their house, picked up a sample ballot and stated, “We don’t permit anybody to vote like that down here” and then threatened to shoot them. Undeterred, Valentine immediately contacted authorities and testified at his trial. Later in life, he married Helen Bernatowicz and had a daughter whom he named after his mother Rosmarie. He became an avid member of the Disabled American Veterans organization due to his illness, and the Fleet Reserve Union #1 until his untimely death on July 1st, 1972. Valentine was buried in the Gettysburg National Cemetery surrounded by his friends and family.