PERTH AMBOY – Almost all of the original flying Tigers returned home for a well earned rest, but some were needed to stay behind a little longer to help train the newly formed 23rd. Petach was all set and packed to leave when he was asked to stay. He was going to return home with the girl he recently married, one of the two AVG nurses, Emma Jane “Red” Foster Petach.
He stayed to offer his services. July 10 was to be his last mission. It turned out the mission was an offensive one, and Petach could have refused it, as he remained with the group for the purpose of air dome defense, but he volunteered. He went in on a dive bombing run, let loose his havoc on the Japanese gunboat, then suddenly was in trouble-his ship went down and he was killed. The pilot who flew on his wing said Petach’s bomb hit the target but at the same instant his plane exploded, apparently hit by ground fire.