World War II Honoree

Emery LeVee Peterson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cedar City, Utah

Honored By

Gary D. Peterson

Relationship

Son

He was drafted in the U.S. Army at Fort Douglas, Utah on May 26, 1943. He received enlistment and indoctrination information there. He entered active service June 2, 1943. departed from Salt lake via train and sent to Camp Callan, California near San Diego for basic training. Received physical and Anti-Aircraft warfare training until December 15, 1943. He was assigned to the 23th Anti-Aircraft Coastal Artillery Battery. The Unit's Departure for the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Service was via San Francisco, California and was on a liberty Ship. It arrived at Milne Bay, Australia January 4, 1944. He was transported to the 237th Anti-Aircraft Battery at Nadzab, New Guinea. The composite of the Unit was made up from those who came from Camp Callan and a National Guard Unit from Concord, New Hampshire. The Battery was attached to the 5th Air Force Squadron which was stationed off the Southern coast of New Guinea. The 237th assigned duty was to defend against Japanese aircraft. His unit gradually moved up the New Guinea coast to Hollandia where their equipment, (Search lights and Generators), was loaded on a landing craft tanker and they joined the Convoy of Ships that was to transport them to the Philippine Islands. When the Convoy reached Leyte in the Philippine Islands, they were attacked by Kamikaze Bomber planes. One such came low off the water directly out of the sun and made a loop over their craft, banked onto the tower of the ship and exploded the bomb and plane. The blast spewed flames and debris clear to the bow of the craft and they were required to abandon ship. he was plucked out of the sea and ended up on the Island of Leyte. It was here that he contracted the Tropical disease (Schistosomiasis). His unit was moved to the Island of Mindoro in November 1944. He became extremely ill while here and was evacuated back to Hollandia, New Guinea and then to the United States. He was sent to recover at the Tropical Disease Center in Longview, Texas. He stayed there for nine months, then this center was closed and he was sent to the Moore Tropical Disease Center in Swannanoa, North Carolina for seven months. He was discharged from WWII service May 6, 1946.