Friday, April 19, 2024
Peter San Filippo, or “Pete” as he preferred, was born Sept. 27, 1920, the son of Italian immigrants. He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during the depression era.
As a young man, he wanted to help with his family fi nances, so he learned to play the drums and read music. This helped him land work playing the drums with bands that came to Milwaukee. He worked with band leaders such as Artie Shaw and Lawrence Welk and his Hotsy Totsy Boys when he was 16 years old.
San Filippo joined the Marine Corps in 1940 and while at Camp Pendleton, California he was selected for the camp boxing team. He met the love of his life, Doris Marie Koch, who was also a Marine and they were married 67 years.
He became close to his boxing coach, John Basilone, the first Marine awarded the Medal of Honor on Guadalcanal. John was killed on Iwo Jima.
San Filippo was part of 1st Division of Marines. He participated in two landings in the Pacifi c Campaign, landing on Peleliu and Kwajalein. San Filippo was awarded the Bronze Star for his heroism on both islands and the Purple Heart for wounds during combat on both islands.
San Filippo survived combat and became a very successful business man developing communities such as the Woodlands, north of Houston and Runaway Bay, west of Fort Worth. He was also a leader in the area council of Boys Scouts.
He truly represented the Greatest Generation and was a Marine his adult life.
San Filippo, a Granbury resident, was 98 when he died Sept. 7, 2018.
Information provided by Field of Flags committee
