Michael "Mike" or "Dudley" Richard Orlovich

2022-10-02T13:27:56-05:00
Army Badge
  • Name: Michael "Mike" or "Dudley" Richard Orlovich
  • Location of Birth: Bennett Location, Keewatin, Minnesota
  • Date of Birth: September 27, 1917
  • Date of Death: July 12, 2009 (91 years old)
  • Parents: Nicholas Orlovich and Kata (Batinich) Orlovich
  • High School and Class: Nashwauk High School, Nashwauk, Minnesota
  • College: Itasca Junior College - Coleraine, Minnesota
    North Dakota State University - Fargo, North Dakota
  • Highest Rank: TEC 4 (Technical 4)
  • Branch: Army
  • Other Branch:
  • Date Sworn In: October 9, 1942
  • Place Sworn In:
  • Date of Discharge: February 9, 1946
  • Place of Discharge:
  • Military Awards:

  • Military Highlights:
    WW II Draft Registration Cards – 10/16/1940 – 03/31/1947
    State: Minnesota
    Name: Michael Richard Orlovich
    Race: White
    Age: 22
    Birth Date: September 8, 1918 [sic]
    Birth Place: Keewatin, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
    Residence Place: Pengilly, Itasca, Minnesota, USA
    Registration Date: October 16, 1940
    Employer: Student, Itasca Junior College, Coleraine, Itasca, Minnesota
    Weight: 165
    Height: 5-5
    Complexion: Ruddy
    Eye Color: Brown
    Hair Color: Black
    Next of Kin: Mildred Miskovich, sister, Pengilly, Itasca, Minnesota

    Michael Orlovich served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater and took part in the liberation of the Philippines.

  • Wars Involved:
    World War II

  • MIA / POW:

  • Civilian Life:
    In high school, Mike loved sports, participating in football, hockey and baseball. He remained active as coach and trainer in all sports in ages from 5 to 50 and organized sports including youth groups, high school, college and amateur teams.

    Information from the January 22, 1987, edition of the Eastern Itascan:
    Mike Orlovich, long-time resident and volunteer of the area, was honored Saturday in Pengilly with a "Roast" held in his honor. This was one of the first-ever events of its kind in Pengilly, but then, Mike Orlovich is a one of a kind person.
    Mike liked to box, but the 21-mile distance from Nashwauk to his home kept him from participating as much as he would have liked. "Perhaps", he said, "that is one reason why I've been involved in sports and youth programs for the past 40 years and three generations."
    Besides being a trainer and organizer, Orlovich is remembered as being the team "medicine man" who carries a medicine kit filled with ointments, tape, ace bandages and the like. He was and still is, the man to call if a field needs preparing for an upcoming game or an ice-skating rink needs new ice for hockey practice.
    Mike has served as Service Officer for many years. Orlovich was noted as the one person who made the Pengilly honor guard the unit that it is, drilling his honor guard to perfection matching the Arlington unit and making it "the sharpest honor guard in the northeast" according to S. L. Foster, one of Orlovich's roasters and a member of the honor guard. "It's his leadership that keeps it going," he said.
    The night's speakers followed him through his life and career in the way that each remembered him. Pete Filippi, Eastern Itasca sportswriter and author of "Sportswatch" prepared a summation of the Mike Orlovich Roast. The event was sponsored by Marinoff-Miskovich VFW Post 8831 of Pengilly, Minnesota on Saturday, January 17, 1987. Mylan Miskovich, Mike's nephew who was a great athlete in years gone by at Greenway, opened up the attack on Mike with Family Insights. George Predovich took care of Mike's Hanna mining game career. Bill Hare, the Greenway High School Athletic Director and baseball coach, traced Mike's footsteps from the minute he got onto the bus or field up to when the bus got home. Mike's medicine kit was his steady companion as Mike was the team's "medicine man". Bob Gernander, the engineer of those great Greenway High School Hockey teams, told of Mike's contribution to the hockey program. He also traced Mike's footsteps from day one to the last day of the season. Mike was the chiropractor and the Green Grocer for the hockey team as he was for the baseball team. Bill Breen Greenway Township Supervisor, told of how Mike almost bankrupted the township in asking for sports program monies. Tim Brastrup, former Range resident, came up from Brainerd to see what Mike was made of. Bob Zuehlke, former Greenway baseball coach and now Itasca County Auditor, gave a humorous report on Mike as he knew him. Al Rantila did some Private Detective work on Mike and reports of no charges against Mike. Gino Peluso who now is a probation officer and social worker in Bloomington, told of Mike showing him how to flood the rink and "take a shower" at the same time. Gino was just a kid helping Mike in his work. S. L. Foster, with a catalog of notes, was telling of how Mike as Sergeant of the VFW Honor Guard took a deceased from the funeral home to the last rites at the cemetery with Military Manner. Marion Barta, VFW Commander, commented on Mike's fine work as a Post Service Officer. Pete Filippi told of Mike's help on the amateur level of Golden Gloves Boxing. Mike did not enter competition, but he helped train young boys in Coleraine. He sparred with anyone that needed a sparring partner. Mike helped Walter Bisco, Sam Stupar and Pete Filippi get ready to enter the professional ranks in boxing. Bisco went to California and Stupar and Filippi went to Florida."

    Information from September 5, 2002, edition of the Eastern Itascan:
    "Saturday, September 14 has been selected as Mike Orlovich Day in Pengilly. Residents will honor Mike Orlovich (aka Uncle Dudly, aka Uncle Mike) for all his years of volunteering as a Greenway athletic trainer, Honor Guard VFW 8831, Santa Claus and for being a great community member."

    Article written by Bill Makinen, Greenway Schools Superintendent in the December 12, 2002, edition of the Eastern Itascan:
    "Some special events took place in the Greenway community this past week. On Friday we had a pepfest at the high school. A special tribute was given to Mr. Mike Orlovich as part of the pepfest. Mr. Orlovich walked on to the stage in the auditorium wearing his Greenway letterman jacket and Marinoff-Miskovich Post beanie.  He immediately received a standing ovation from the student body at Greenway. Hal Leasure and Coach Pat Guyer were there to comment on Mr. Orlovich's dedication to Greenway and to the veterans of our communities. Mr. Orlovich then received an honorary Greenway High School diploma. Greenway paid tribute to a very deserving and caring man."

    Information from the December 12, 2002, edition of the Eastern Itascan:
    "Mike Orlovich of Pengilly was honored for his years of service and support to Greenway athletics at a dedication ceremony December 6 at Greenway High School. Guest speaker Pat Guyer called Orlovich "A saint, someone who makes everywhere he goes a little more special." Following Guyer's speech Greenway Superintendent Bill Makinen presented Orlovich with an honorary Greenway High School diploma."

    He had been employed with Hanna Mining Company as a maintenance mechanic retiring in 1982.

    He was a member of the Nashwauk, Taconite, and Lawrence Lake American Legions, VFW Post 8831 of Pengilly, Minnesota, and the Disabled American Veterans in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Mike was a past service officer of Itasca County, Minnesota and conducted military funerals for more than 60 years. He was a member of the Bovey Moose and St. Basil Serbian Orthodox Church.

    He is survived by two sisters, Martha Badavinac and Dessa Sargent; nieces, Ann Miskovich and Kathy Shelton; nephews, George Orlovich, Jr., Robert, George and Peter Badavinac, and Roland Badavinac.

    He was preceded in death by his sisters, Mildred Miskovich and Maria Duma; brother George Orlovich, Sr.; an infant brother, and nephew Mylan Miskovich.

    Buried in Lakeview Cemetery at Coleraine, Minnesota. (Block 140)

  • Tribal Affiliation(s):

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