[3] He was born in Vaslui in 1869 and attended high school in Iași from 1881 to 1887.

After graduating in 1889 from the Bucharest military school of officers with the rank of second lieutenant, Petala advanced in rank to lieutenant (1892), captain (1897), major (1906), lieutenant-colonel (1910), and colonel (1913).

He held various positions in the artillery units or in the upper echelons of the army, the most important being those of commander of the 40th Infantry Regiment (1911–1912), chief of staff of the 2nd and 3rd Army Corps (1913–1915), and commander of the 15th Infantry Brigade (1915–1916).

In 1925 he was appointed Inspector General of the Army and Military Education.

[9] Petala was married to Rosetta Pilat and had 2 children from the marriage, Elena-Alice and Vintilă.