World War II Honoree

Victor Carl Petersen

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Kenmare, North Dakota

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: CORPORAL. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS MAY 28, 1942 AND COMPLETED BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AND SEA SCHOOL AT THE MARINE RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNED TO A MARINE DETACHMENT, HE SERVED ABOARD THE BATTLESHIP, USS TENNESSEE DD-540 AS GUN CAPTAIN FOR NUMBER THIRTY-ONE 20MM GUN MOUNT IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. ON THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1945 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION WHEN A JAPANESE KAMIKAZE FLEW INTO HIS GUN BATTERY DURING THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA AND WAS LATER BURIED AT SEA. HIS BURIAL AT SEA CEREMONIAL SERVICES WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS WERE HELD ON THE DESTROYER, USS ISHERWOOD DD-520 AND HE IS MEMORIALIZED AT THE COURTS OF THE MISSING, HONOLULU NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATION AND CITATION: PURPLE HEART. THE MARINE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.