Kenneth "Pete" A. Peterson, Jr.

Kenneth "Pete" A. Peterson, Jr. was born in Lewiston, Maine in 1947, and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1965 at the age of 18. He retired from the USAF as a Master Sergeant in 1988, after 23 years of voluntary service. In his 23 years of dedicated service, he served as F-15/F-16/A-10 Avionics Test Station and Computer Technician, Avionics Support Equipment Specialist, Avionics Navigation Systems Technician and Tactical Air Support Squadron, and Avionics Aerospace Ground Equipment Technician.

Pete was stationed overseas at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai AFB, Thailand for 8 years during the Vietnam campaign where he met the mother of his daughters. After returning to the United States from Thailand; Pete was stationed around the country, serving at Pease AFB in New Hampshire; Hill AFB in Utah; MacDill AFB in Florida; and finally Carswell AFB, in Texas. His family settled in Texas, although Pete often spent many summers in his home state of Maine where his parents and siblings resided. Pete passed away April 10, 2010 at the young age of 63 and is deeply missed every day.

Some words from one of his superiors on a citation that accompanied Pete’s award of the Air Force Commendation Medal (Second Oak Leaf Cluster) in 1982:

MSGT Peterson’s “unique management skills, dedication, and technical expertise were directly responsible for the steady improvement in the 56th Component Repair Squadron, 56th Tactical Training Wing’s (MacDill AFB, FL) maintenance capability of the F-16 Tactical Fighter Aircraft and automatic test equipment. His superior leadership and training skills brought about major changes to administrative and technical procedures and improved both safety and test station reliability. The distinctive accomplishments of MSGT Peterson reflect credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.”