Lester W. Peterson - WW1 Columbia Accolade

[tdogchristy90]

Lester William Peterson was born February 21, 1890 in Morgan Park, Illinois to Frank and Addie Peterson. Before World War one, Peterson was a self employed farmer in Pipestone, Minnesota. He enlisted in the Army on July 27, 1917 out of Saint Paul, Minnesota and trained at Fort Snelling and Camp Mills with Battery A of the 151st Field Artillery. Called into federal service on June 23, 1917, the 151st Artillery Regiment was attached to the 42nd Rainbow Division.

 

On October 18, 1917 the regiment boarded the President Lincoln and set sail for France, landing at St. Nazaire, France on October 31, 1917. After resting from their voyage, the regiment set up camp at coetquedon, an old French artillery camp, where the regiment trained on their new 75mm guns. By February 27, 1918 the regiment was on the front line at Bacarrat in Loraine to put their guns and their training to the test. On June 21st, the regiment then moved into Champagne, near Chalons-sur-Marne to take part in the Champagne defensive.

 

On July 18, with a two hour notice, the 151st was ordered to the Chateau Thierry salient. After being shipped up by train and delayed by enemy shelling, the regiment took up position in a thick woods near the Ourcq river. By September 7, 1918 the 151st was engaged in the St. Mihiel offensive, the first offensive of the First American Army. On September 12th, the artillery opened fire and after four hours the infantry went over the top and wiped out the St. Mihiel salient, held by the Germans since 1914.

 

On September 26, 1918, the Meuse-Argonne offensive began. By October 7th, the 151st was in position to deliver fire on the Kriemhild sector of the Hindenburg line. Day after day of continuous firing by the 151st culminated on November 1st when an assault was launched with an artillery barrage that has been called the heaviest in history. With cold, muddy, and miserable conditions, the 151st marched through Harricourt, flying the regimental flag. On November 11th, the Armistice was signed. After four months of almost continuous action, the war was finally over for the 151st field artillery regiment.

 

Of 2360 men, the regiment suffered 489 casualties. Lester William Peterson was one of these casualties when he was gassed during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. Peterson boarded the ship “President Lincoln” and sailed for France October 18, 1917. Following his service during World War One, Peterson boarded the ship “Finland” which sailed from St. Nazaire, France on January 31, 1919 and arrived in Hoboken, New Jersey on February 14, 1919.

 

Lester William Peterson settled back into American life, worked for the chemical manufacturer Solvay Process Company in Syracuse, New York, and married his wife Bertha. Lester W. Peterson died at his home in Westvale, New York on September 6, 1966 at 76 years old. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, New York.

 

 

 

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[AustinO]

Was this a recent purchase online?  I've searched his name before, but not sure when.  

 

You can order his 4 page service questionnaire here for a nominal fee. 

[tdogchristy90]

11 minutes ago, AustinO said:

Was this a recent purchase online?  I've searched his name before, but not sure when.  

 

You can order his 4 page service questionnaire here for a nominal fee. 

Austin, no. I have had the document for a few years now and have posted about him on the forum in the past. With Covid I finally managed to piece a story together so I thought I’d share it to keep the memory alive. 

[BEAST]

On 9/20/2021 at 1:38 PM, AustinO said:

Was this a recent purchase online?  I've searched his name before, but not sure when.  

 

You can order his 4 page service questionnaire here for a nominal fee. 

Hey AustinO, thanks for posting that link.  I found that my grandfather's World War I military service questionnaire is available, so I'll be ordering it. 

[tdogchristy90]

Updating my catalog and thought I’d bump this as I’m going over Peterson.