Peterson, Norman Dale 1928 - 2013
PETERSON, FLEURY, DOUGHTY, CAHOON
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 1/10/2014 at 16:12:26
WHISPERING PINES, NC - Norman D. Peterson, 86, of Whispering Pines, N.C. died Thursday, Dec. 26, 2013 at his home.
Norman will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in 2014.
Norman Dale Peterson was born Dec. 13, 1928 on a farm near Cresco, Iowa, the son of Alice and Alvin Peterson. He attended the Cresco Schools until his graduation in 1947. Norman enlisted in the Army Air Corps and had a very distinguished career as an Air Force aviator for 22 years before he retired with the rank of Major. Pete was a Command Pilot seeing service in France and Okinawa, and a tour of duty in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller. His assignments took him to Tehran as a guest of the last Shah of Iran. He also piloted the plane that received the films made over Russia by Gary Powers aboard the U2 spy plane and delivered them to England. In 1956 Pete aided in the retrieval and airlifting of refugees from Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution. That same year he was awarded the Italian Gold Star of Solidarity by the President of Italy for heroic relief flights during the European blizzard. Pete was chosen as the pilot of the C130 aircraft that was designated to evacuate the ill-fated President Diem of South Vietnam from Saigon to the Philippines. After returning from Vietnam, Pete instructed forward air controllers, "The Birddogs" at Hulbert Field, Florida until his retirement in 1969. While in the Air Force he was awarded a total of 32 medals, notably the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star (with Valor), 18 Air Combat medals, and two Air Force Commendation Medals. He was a member of the Order of Daedalians, the premier fraternal organization of military pilots, in addition to the Distinguished Flying Cross Society and a member of the Eighth Air Force Museum.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years: Marsey Peterson of Whispering Pines N.C., whom he met while stationed in France; daughter: Lindley Fleury of Whispering Pines; a son: Erik Peterson of Oklahoma City; grandchildren: Ashley Doughty of Durham, N.C. and Greg Doughty of Dallas, Texas; siblings: Gary (Gladys) Peterson of Spring Valley, Minn., Debra Peterson of Stewartville, Minn., Elizabeth Cahoon of Leroy, Indiana; and sister-in-law: Gen Peterson of Cresco.
Norman was preceded in death by his parents: Alvin and Alice Peterson of Cresco; a brother: Calvin Peterson of Cresco; and brother-in-law; Jack Cahoon of Leroy, Indiana.
Source: Cresco Times January 7, 2014
Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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