World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
DeWitt Peterkin, Jr.
Branch of Service
U.S. Navy
Hometown
New York, New York
Honored By
George U. Peterkin & Jennifer Sinclair
Relationship
Son & Granddaughter
COMMISSIONED LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE ON JANUARY 29, 1942 IN NEW YORK CITY. AFTER TRAINING WITH 1ST AVIATION OFFICERS CLASS; QUONSET, RHODE ISLAND AND THE NAVAL AIR STATION IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, HE WAS ASSIGNED AS ENGINEERING OFFICER IN TORPEDO SQUADRON 8 ON THE USS HORNET. AFTER THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, HE TRANSFERRED TO THE USS SARATOGA. D-HOUR AND H-DAY WAS ON AUGUST 7, 1942. HIS SHIP WAS TORPEDOED OFF GUADALCANAL DURING LANDINGS ON AUGUST 31, 1942. AIR GROUP FLEW TO ESPIRITU SANTO, THEN TO HENDERSON FIELD, GUADALCANAL. SEPTEMBER WAS QUIET. HE WAS THE GROUND OFFICER FOR TORPEDO BOMBER SQUADRON 8 ON GUADALCANAL. PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT ON OCTOBER 1, 1942. MID-OCTOBER THROUGH THE BATTLE OF NOVEMBER 14-15, THE SQUADRON SUSTAINED AIR ATTACKS BY DAY AND SHELLING BY BATTLESHIPS, CRUISERS AND DESTROYERS AT NIGHT. AT ONE POINT ALL PLANES WERE DOWN SO HE MOVED IN WITH THE MARINES, SOME ON BLOODY RIDGE. AFTER THE BATTLE OF NOVEMBER 15TH, HE WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN NAVAL AIR OFFICER SENT TO PEARL HARBOR TO REPORT TO ADMIRAL TOWERS AND CHESTER NIMITZ. HIS NEXT DUTY WAS WITH CARRIER AIR GROUP 23 ABOARD THE USS PRINCETON (DECEMBER 23, 1942 TO APRIL 10, 1944), DURING WHICH TIME HE ENGAGED IN BATTLES FROM BAKER ISLANDS TO PALAU, FOLLOWED BY NAVAL COMBAT AIR INTELLIGENCE SCHOOL. PROMOTED TO LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ON OCTOBER 17, 1944. THE LAST YEAR (SEPTEMBER 15, 1944 TO SEPTEMBER 19, 1945), HE WAS WITH AIR GROUP 10 ABOARD THE USS INTREPID. HIS SHIP WAS HIT BY DIVE BOMBERS OFF JAPAN ON MARCH 18, 1945 AND ON APRIL 16, 1945 WAS HIT BY KAMIKAZE ZEKE32 OFF OKINAWA. HE WAS ON DECK WHEN THE APRIL 16TH ATTACK HIT. SEPARATED FROM ACTIVE DUTY ON OCTOBER 21, 1945. RECEIVED THE SILVER STAR (GUADALCANAL), 2 BRONZE STARS, 2 COMMENDATION RIBBONS, 2 PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS WITH 2 STARS (MIDWAY AND GUADALCANAL), ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 12 BATTLE STARS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN RIBBON AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.