Peter Joseph Etcheto, May 27, 1917 to August 3, 2002

Peter Joseph Etcheto, 85, died peacefully on Saturday, August 3, 2002 at the Highland Manor in Elko, Nevada. He was born in Turlock, California on May 27, 1917. He attended school in Turlock, graduating from Turlock Union High School in the class of 1935. While in school he was very active in music and theater productions and was a class officer. Pete also attended Modesto Junior College. In 1942, he joined the Army Air Corps. After graduating from Officer Candidate School in Miami, Florida, he was stationed at the Pratt Kansas Army Air Base. While in Kansas he met and married Grace Taylor on April 16, 1944. Pete spent most of his WWII service stationed on the island of Saipan in the Pacific and was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1946.

Pete returned to Iuka, Kansas where he and his wife Grace raised their four children until 1966 when he moved the family to Reno, Nevada. He worked as an auditor wth the Employment Security Department, State of Nevada and an auditor with the Nevada Industrial Commission. While in Reno he was an active member of the Reno First Methodist Church and sang in the church choir. He joined the Reno Zazpiak Bat Basque Club and sang in the Reno Barbershop Chorus. Pete was also well know for his candy-making prowess, and was the owner-operator of the Basque Candy Maker in Reno in the early 1970’s.

He is survived by a brother, John “Buzz” Etcheto of Reno; four children, Sally Porton of West Hollywood, California, John R. Etcheto of Reno, Peter M. Etcheto of Woodbury, Conn., and Mary Jolly of Carson City; nine grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Peter was preceded in death by his wife, Grace Taylor Etcheto, his brothers James Etcheto and Raymond Etcheto, and his sisters Frances Sejas and June Tanner, and one great-grandchild, Etanya Perl.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Wed., August 7th at the First Presbyterian Church, Elko. In lieu of Flowers, the family requests donations in Pete’s memory to the First Presbyterian Church Music Fund.

– Reno Gazette-Journal, Tuesday August 6, 2002

Etcheto, Peter J., Capt. 0-581639. 870th . Sq Adj, 2110. A/C. 1 st Lt to Cpt, SO 141-1 (20 AF). Apptd. Soldier Voting O, SO 5-1 (497th Ground Echelon). BS, GO 46-II (497th). Trfd fr March Fld Calif to new Assembly station MacDill Fld, Tampa Florida (3AF), SO-356-3. (CO,March Field).

Etcheto, G. E., Route 1, Box 132, Luka, KS

Master File A-Z Reconstruction of Some Personnel Records 497th Bomb Group 73rd Bomb Wing Saipan 1944-1945 Includes Some Records of the 3rd Photo Reconnaissance Squadron
GO = General Order
SO = Special Order Sq
O = Squadron Order