- Frank E. Petersen
Infobox Military Person
name= Frank E. Petersen
born= birth date and age|1932|3|3
died=
placeofbirth=Topeka, Kansas
placeofdeath=
caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Navy United States Marine Corps
serviceyears= 1950-1952 (USN), 1952-1988 (USMC)
rank= Lieutenant General
commands=VMFA-212 VMFA-314
unit=
battles=Korean War Vietnam War
awards= Distinguished Service MedalDefense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with Combat "V" Distinguished Flying CrossPurple Heart
laterwork=DuPont DeNemours Inc., VP of Corporate AviationNational Marrow Donor Program , Chairmancite web|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.erau.edu/er/newsmedia/newsreleases/1999/petersen.html
title=News Release: Marine Corps Gen. Frank Petersen to Speak at Embry-Riddle Commencement
date=April 23, 1999
publisher=Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University] cite web
accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.marrow.org/NEWS/News_Releases/1999/19990722_general.html
title= NMDP NamesGeneral Frank E. Petersen Jr. as Board Chair
date=July 22, 1999
publisher=National Marrow Donor Program]Frank E. Petersen (USMC) (born March 2, 1932 in
Topeka, Kansas ) is a retiredUnited States Marine Corps Lieutenant General. He was the firstAfrican-American Marine Corpsaviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general. [*cite web
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2004/n02062004_200402064.html
title=Marine Corps' Magnetism Beckons Future General into World of Elite Warfighters
author=Williams, Rudi
date=February 6, 2004
work=DefenseLINK News
publisher=U.S. Department of Defense
accessdate=2006-10-15]Peterson retired from the Marine Corps in 1988 after 38 years of service. "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 United States 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."cite web|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Petersen_FE.htm
title= Official Marine Corps biography]Biography
Frank E. Peterson was born on March 2, 1932 in
Topeka, Kansas .Military career
Petersen enlisted in the
United States Navy in 1950 as a seaman apprentice. ee 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 two combat tours in two conflicts — Korea (1953) and Vietnam (1968). His first tactical assignment was with Marine Fighter Squadron 212 during the Korean conflict. He flew over 350 combat missions with over 4,000 hours in various fighter/attack aircraft.
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. He was also the first African-American to command a fighter squadron, a fighter air group, an air wing, and a major base.cite web|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.erau.edu/er/newsmedia/newsreleases/1999/petersen.html
title=News Release: Marine Corps Gen. Frank Petersen to Speak at Embry-Riddle Commencement
date=April 23, 1999
publisher=Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University]General Petersen relinquished duties as the Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, on 8 July, 1988. He served as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff from 8 July, 1988 until 31, July, and retired from the Marine Corps on 1 August, 1988. He was presented the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service as the CG, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia, from June 1986 to July 1988, upon his retirement.
Education
He received his
Bachelor's degree in 1967 and hisMaster's degree in 1973, both fromGeorge Washington University , Washington, D.C. In 1987, he was the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Law degree granted byVirginia Union University . In addition he also attended the following service schools: the Amphibious Warfare School, Quantico, Virginia; the Aviation Safety Officers Course at the University of Southern California; and the National War College, Washington, D.C., class of 1973.Awards
Peterson's decorations include:
*Distinguished Service Medalcite web|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Petersen_FE.htm
title= Official Marine Corps biography]
*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 ee also
*
List of African-American firsts
*Jesse L. Brown , first African-American U.S. Navy aviatorNotes
References
:Marine Corps
*cite web|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Petersen_FE.htm
title= Lieutenant General Frank E. Petersen, USMC (Retired)
work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History
publisher=History Division, United States Marine Corps*cite web|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.erau.edu/er/newsmedia/newsreleases/1999/petersen.html
title=News Release: Marine Corps Gen. Frank Petersen to Speak at Embry-Riddle Commencement
date=April 23, 1999
publisher=Embry-Riddle Aeronautical UniversityExternal links
* [http://www.mclm.com/tohonor/fepetersen.html Lieutenant General Frank E. Peterson, USMC ] , from the Marine Corps Legacy Museum, accessed December 24, 2005
*cite web|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.visionaryproject.org/petersenfrank/
title=Frank Peterson
work=Visionary Interviews
publisher=National Visionary Leadership Project*cite book|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://www.history.army.mil/books/integration/IAF-18.htm
chapter=Chapter 18: Integration of the Marine Corps
title=Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965
author=MacGregor, Morris J., Jr.
publisher=Center of Military History, United States Army
location=Washington, D.C.
year=1985Further reading
*cite book
title=Into the Tiger's Jaw : America's First Black Marine Aviator — The Autobiography of Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen
author=Petersen, Frank E.
publisher=Presidio Press
year=1998
isbn=0891416757*cite journal|accessdate=2008-08-18
url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3738/is_199812/ai_n8812542
title=Book Review: "Into the Tiger's Jaw: America's First Black Marine Aviator, The Autobiography of Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen"
journal=Sea Power
date=December 1998
author=Price, Jennifer M.
publisher=Navy League of the United StatesPersondata
NAME = Petersen, Frank E.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Petersen, Lieutenant General Frank
SHORT DESCRIPTION = U.S. Marine Corps general; First African-American Marine Corps general; First African-American Marine Corps aviator
DATE OF BIRTH = March 2, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH =Topeka, Kansas
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =
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