Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1958 Lucky Bag:

CARL JERROLD PETERSON

Carl is another of the Navy Juniors who decided to settle down and carry on the tradition of the family. A great sports fan, Carl played a mean attack on the lacrosse field and was a valuable member of the regular “Freedom” crew on her many races. Though he never attained stars in academics, through seriousness and application he proved himself to be a useful man with the smoking slipstick. His interest in the Navy, and the many fine qualities he exhibits will help him to attain his worthy ambition — to someday be an admiral.

Loss

Carl was killed in action on April 2, 1969 when the assault support patrol boat he was on was struck by rocket fire in the Vàm Cỏ Đông River, Vietnam.

Other Information

From Wikipedia’s entry:

Carl Jerrold Peterson was born 31 October 1936 to Captain Carl A. Peterson, USN, Ret. (1908 – 1996) of Tuxedo Park, New York and Miriam C. Redden-Peterson (1909 – 2010), daughter of Connecticut State senator William A. Redden. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign in June 1958. According to his Academy Yearbook and the Bridgeport Post, he was from Bridgeport, Connecticut and lived at 388 Midland for much of his youth. He was said to “play a mean attack on the lacrosse field” and he was a valuable member of the crew of the USNA’s yacht, Freedom.

Lieutenant Commander Peterson then served successive tours at sea in USS McCaffery (DD-860) and USS Arneb (AKA-56). In 1962, he was assigned to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and in 1964 to the staff of Commander Middle East Force. From 1966 to 1968 Lieutenant Commander Peterson served with distinction as Operations Officer aboard USS Ogden (LPD-5) and participated in eight major amphibious assaults against enemy forces in Vietnam. Lieutenant Commander Peterson was credited with developing the command and control techniques for debarking troops simultaneously by air and sea amphibious transports successfully employed in these assaults.

In December 1968, Lieutenant Commander Peterson volunteered for duties in Vietnam and subsequently commanded Patrol River Boat Squadron 57 operating in the waterways of the Mekong Delta. According to the US Navy, Carl Peterson was singularly responsible for the success of many joint quick reaction operations designed to draw out and destroy enemy forces. On 2 April 1969, while embarked in an assault support patrol boat transiting the Vàm Cỏ Đông River to his command center in USS Harnett County (LST-821), Lieutenant Commander Peterson was mortally wounded when an enemy rocket detonated against his vessel.

He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery along with his father in 1996 and mother in 2010.

From the July-August 1969 issue of Shipmate:

Survivors include his parents Capt Carl A. Peterson, USN (Ret.) ‘29, and Mrs. Peterson of Maplebrook Rd., RD 1, Tuxedo Park, N. Y.. 10987, and two sisters Miriam and Carolyn, both of Long Beach, Calif.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Carl graduated from Severn School in Maryland. He entered the Naval Academy on a presidential appointment.

After graduation, he was assigned to the antisubmarine warfare destroyer USS McCaffery (DDE 860), part of the Atlantic Fleet Antisubmarine Task Force Bravo.

Prior to October 1962, he served two years aboard the attack cargo ship USS Arneb (AKA-56) as both communications officer and damage control assistant during the ship’s Antarctic operations.

In April 1963, he was selected to be an escort for one of the Cherry Blossom Festival princesses in Washington, D. C.

His father was a graduate of the Naval Academy, Class of 1929.

Photographs

Source

From the Connecticut Post on July 29, 1956

From the Connecticut Post on May 13, 1958

Namesake

USS Peterson (DD 969) was named for Carl.

Bronze Star

Unable to find the citation for the Bronze Star he was awarded.