PETERSON

Bio Image

Personal Details

  • Last Name: PETERSON
  • First Name Middle Initial: J PAUL
  • Nick Name:
  • Street:  106 WILLIAMS ST
  • Country &State:
  • City: PORTLAND, CT
  • State: 
  • Postal Code: 06480-1632
  • Phone:
  • E-Mail: 
  • Spouse: SHERRILL
  • Age when entered service:
  • Age first entered:
  • War or Conflict: WW II
  • Theater of operations: ETO
  • Year:
  • Branch of Service/s: Army Air Corp
  • Years Served:
  • Date of Discharge / Retirement (circle):
  • Highest Rank: new_value
  • Military MOS (Job Descriptions): RADIO OPERATOR
  • What military medals received: PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL
Military Bio:

J. (John) Paul Peterson born in Cromwell, CT March 10, 1920, graduated from Portland High School (Portland, CT) June 1938. Graduated from Upsala College with a B.A. degree June 1942. Enlisted in Air Force June 1942 at Newark, NJ. Called to service December 7, 1942 Newark, NJ. Inducted to Air Force in San Antonio, TX as aviation cadet. Sent to Cimeron Field in Oklahoma, then on to Sioux Falls, SD for radio operation. From there to Gunnery School in Yuma, AZ. Joined B-24 crew at Westover Field, MA in March 1944. Married to Sherrill Prisk on March 7, 1942. Trained with crew at Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina. Left U.S. in June 1944 and arrived in Italy in July 1944 and joined 459B bomb group. Shot down over Blackhimer, Germany on August 22, 1944. Spent time in solitary confinement at Budapest. Sent to Stalag Luft IV (Poland) via the famous boxcar trains. Interned at Stalag IV until February 6, 1945. Survived the infamous 600-mile death march for 80 days during the dead of winter. Liberated at Halle, Germany on April 26, 1945. Flew to Camp Lucky Strike in LaHavre, France. Returned by boat to U.S.A and landed in N.Y.C. on June 6, 1945. Separated from service October 1945 at Fort Devans, MA.

My Message to Future Generations:

Post Military Occupation

  • Age when captured: 24
  • Date of Captured: 08/22/44
  • Place captured: HUNGREY
  • Camp/s held: STALAG 4
  • Date Released: 04/26/45
  • Prisoner-of-war status: Liberated
  • Date of DEATH if deceased: 
  • AGE at death:
  • Died In Combat:
  • Died from complications of combat wounds:
  • Describe below Survivors Include: