Frank E. Petersen
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| Frank E. Petersen | |
|---|---|
| born March 3, 1932 | |
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| Place of birth | Topeka, Kansas |
| Allegiance | USMC |
| Years of service | 1950-1952 (USN), 1952-1988 (USMC) |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | VMFA-212 VMFA-314 |
| Battles/wars | Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with Combat "V" Distinguished Flying Cross Purple Heart |
Frank E. Petersen (USMC) (born March 2, 1932 in Topeka, Kansas) is a retired United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General. He was the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general. [1]
Peterson retired from the Marine Corps in 1988. "At the time of his retirement he was by date of aviator designation the senior ranking aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy with respective titles of "Silver Hawk" and "Gray Eagle". His date of designation as an aviator also precedes all other aviators in the U.S. Air Force and Army."[2]
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[edit] Military career
Petersen enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1950, where he served as an electronics technician. In 1951, he entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. In 1952, after completing flight training he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Petersen served in conflicts — Korea and Vietnam. He flew over 350 combat missions with over 4,000 hours.
He held command positions at all levels of Marine Corps aviation — commanding a Marine Fighter Squadron, a Marine Aircraft Group, and a Marine Aircraft Wing.
[edit] Awards
- Defense Superior Service Medal
- Legion of Merit with Combat "V"
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Purple Heart
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Medal
- Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V"
- Air Force Commendation Medal
[edit] Notes
- ^ *Rudi Williams (February 6, 2004). Marine Corps' Magnetism Beckons Future General into World of Elite Warfighters. DefenseLINK News. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved on October 15, 2006.
- ^ Official Marine Corps biography. Retrieved on 2005-12-24.
[edit] References
- This article contains public domain text from the United States Marine Corps.
- ^ Official Biography for Lieutenant General (Retired) Frank E. Petersen, from the United States Marine Corps, accessed December 24, 2005
[edit] External links
- Lieutenant General Frank E. Peterson, USMC , from the Marine Corps Legacy Museum, accessed December 24, 2005
Categories: 1932 births | Living people | Black history in the United States military | Military personnel of the Korean War | Naval aviators | People from Kansas | Recipients of the Legion of Merit | Recipients of the Purple Heart medal | Recipients of US Distinguished Flying Cross | United States Marine Corps generals | Military personnel of the Vietnam War
