A lonely grave in the Philippines was traded for a place next to his mom and dad.

Peter Louis Vlasich was born in Santa Cruz, California on May 9, 1914, to Martin and Stella Vlasich; he was preceded in the family by his brother Louis, who was two years older. The Vlasich family also included a daughter, Nicki. Peter is reported to have graduated from Chaminade High School in 1933.

After finishing high school, Vlasich enlisted in the US Navy and completed boot camp at an unspecified training facility. Following instruction in naval carpentry, he was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and at Mare Island, California. During his period of naval service, Vlasich was promoted through the five enlisted grades to Chief Carpenter's Mate.

When his ship, the cruiser USS Honolulu, was at Mare Island near Vallejo for repair and refitting in November 1943, he was granted a twenty-day leave to visit his home in Santa Cruz.

While serving in the navy, Chief Vlasich participated in engagements at Bougainville, the Solomon Islands, Saipan, Guam and Peleliu. His final campaign was in the recapture of the Philippine Islands.
“The Honolulu departed from the staging area at Manus Island in the Admiralty Islands on 12 October 1944 and steamed towards the Philippines for the invasion of Leyte. She began a bombardment 19 October from Leyte Gulf, and the next day she began screening the landings. At 16:00 hours, on 20 October an enemy torpedo plane was sighted as it aimed its torpedo at the Honolulu. Despite the skillful maneuvering of Captain Thurber, USN, to evade, the torpedo found its mark on her port side.”

Chief Carpenter's Mate Peter Louis Vlasich was one of the casualties of that torpedo and was officially declared dead on October 20, 1944. In a letter to the Vlasich family, one of his shipmates indicated that Peter was buried on Manus, one of the Admiralty Islands.

Following the war, his remains were returned to Santa Cruz and reinterred in the family plot at Holy Cross Cemetery.

(Holy Cross Cemetery Headstone; USNM; SCSn January 4, 1945 1:2; WIKI, USS Honolulu CL-48)