Rakkasan187 Posted June 18, 2012 Share #1 Posted June 18, 2012 I have the day off today so I wanted to share a few groupings that I have had for several years. I have done some research on some of these and I can now complete the grouping with copies of records obtained from the internet. This grouping was purchased about 10 years ago at an estate sale. There were no uniforms but sometimes the pleasure lies in the documents and papers. This whole group was in a box all together so it also made it easy to keep everything together and I did not have to search through the house for everything. After I got the grouping home I started sorting through the items. The custom embroidered ribbon bars were curious to me at first, not realizing that there was a combination of Navy and Army ribbons on the racks. As I look more into the baggies I pulled out one with a white name tag for the last name PETERS and 2 embroidered Army Warrant Officer Eagles. Ok, so I figured this gentleman was a Warrant Officer in the Army, but why the Navy ribbons. As I go through the box I come to a small paperback book about the Armed Guard in WW2. Not thinking much about it, I dove into the papers some more, I found an Army Discharge paper, some transcripts for some Army schools and some other papers. Underneath this pile was what really got my attention; there were several letters and envelopes from the PEARL HARBOR SURVIVORS ASSOCIATION addressed to this person. As I continued through the papers I found several Navy documents and discovered this man was in the Armed Guard of the US Navy and was at Pearl Harbor attached to the light cruiser USS Detroit during the attack. The US Navy Armed Guard was first formed in WW1 but was deactivated after that war but was reinstated in November 1941 after the 1939 Neutrality Act was amended to allow the US to arm its merchant fleet in response to several U-boat attacks on US merchant ships which resulted in the sinking of several ships. There were approximately 144,000 personnel that served in the Armed Guard during WW2. They served on an estimated 6200 merchant ships, of which 710 were sunk by enemy action. Walter H Peters was born in August 1923 and joined the US Navy in February 1941. He trained as a signalman and was assigned to several ships during his Navy career to include: USS Whitney (AD-4) USS Dobbin USS Maury Mr. Peters Armed Guard escort duties included service on the following Merchant ships: SS Maiden Creek from July 4, 1942 to 27 August 1942 USS Jeremiah Wadsworth from 02 October 1942 to 04 February 1943 (SANK after German submarine U-178 attacked it.) Mr. Peters was adrift in a lifeboat for 8 days and nights. SS Brandywine from 01 June 1943 to 01 June 1943 (very short trip) Further research into Mr. Peters records indicate that he was on the Jeremiah Wadsworth when it was torpedoed on November 27, 1942, and I was able to obtain a 17 page report about the actions and sinking of the ship and what the men did, including Peters, during the sinking ordeal and the subsequent 8 day voyage in lifeboats afterwards. Mr. Peters was discharged from the US Navy as a Quartermaster Signalman First Class on June 28, 1948, so he could enlist in the United States Army where he served in various Air Defense Artillery positions until his Voluntary retirement as a Chief Warrant Officer W-3 on 09 September 1964, with an effective date of 01 October 1964. CW3 Peters awards and decorations include: Presidential Unit Citation NAVY awarded to the U.S.S Maury for service from 01 Feb 1942 to August 06, 1943 Good Conduct Medal American Defense Service Medal with “FLEET” Clasp American Campaign Medal Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal European, African, Middle Eastern Campaign Medal WW2 Victory Medal Expert Missleman Badge Commendation Ribbon with medal pendant Not listed on his last DD214 is the Army/Navy of Occupation ribbon, Army Good Conduct ribbon, National Defense Ribbon. Mr Peters died on November 17, 1996 and is buried at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery at Fort Bliss, Texas. I believe there was some paperwork that I did not get, which may have been thrown out by the folks running the estate sale, but I am very pleased that I was able to get this grouping as intact as it is. I also have in my possession among the other papers a firsthand account story that was written by Mr. Peters on April 15, 1946, about his experience during the Pearl Harbor attack. This paper was written for an English 101 class for Howard Payne College. The name of his story is called “A Sunday in December” His professor gave him a “B”. I think he deserved a higher grade, given the details of the story. The notebook of papers is about 2 inches thick, and will accompany the Donald Duck hat with ARMED GUARD US NAVY cap tally and ribbons and belt buckles for the Armed Guard and Pearl Harbor survivors association when I do my displays. This has been one of the most interesting of research projects which would not have been as complete if I was not a member of a few of the on line ancestry web sites. The information that is available now really helps close chapters on several groupings that I have. I hope that you enjoy this grouping and as always comments and feedback are welcome. Now to the pictures: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted June 18, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Rakkasan187 Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share #9 Posted June 18, 2012 I just noticed that I have the ribbon bars upside down. Sorry about that. IN my haste to get this posted I failed to make sure they were correct.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Rakkasan187 Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share #15 Posted June 18, 2012 Mr Walter H Peters Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share #16 Posted June 18, 2012 Thats all the pictures for now. Hope you enjoy them. Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh B. Posted June 21, 2012 Share #17 Posted June 21, 2012 Cool grouping. Naval Armed Guards were a special breed; I have a signalman armed guard group from a guy who was there on D-Day. Did you know there is a special association for naval armed guards? http://www.armed-guard.com/ Just a note: I don't think the hat was his service cap. That type with wide brim stiffener, though desirable as a collectible, became obsolete in 1933- a number of years before your guy probably joined the service (unless I missed something in your narrative about earlier service). Maybe someone gave it to him or he picked it up somewhere? At any rate, a great cap and a great group with history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share #18 Posted June 21, 2012 Hey Josh, Thanks for the information about the cap and the link to the Armed Guard website. Mr Peters had several reunion papers and membership cards from the Armed Guard as well as lists of other members of the Armed Guard and the ships they were on. A nice little grouping.. Leigh.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share #19 Posted December 7, 2016 I wanted to bring this back up with the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor today.. Thank you for your service Mr. Peters.. Rest Peacefully Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted December 7, 2017 Author Share #20 Posted December 7, 2017 Another bump for the 76th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor.. Rest in Peace Mr. Peters... Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rakkasan187 Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share #21 Posted December 7, 2020 Bringing this back to the top today, the 79th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Attack Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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