Richard W Peterson
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
“I enlisted in the Navy Feb. 1940. I took training at Great Lakes, Il., and when finished was assigned to the U.S.S. Dent (116). It was a WWI destroyer, an old 4-piper commissioned in 1918. We operated off of San Diego with sound school, sonar detection, and submarines until Dec. 7, 1941. We then sailed for the Alaskan waters, operating out of Dutch Harbor on convoy and patrol duty, escorting transports for the invasion of Adak. We returned to Seattle in Jan. 1943. “I was transferred to New Construction school in Newport RI., for instruction in the new torpedo. Afterwards I was transferred to a new destroyer (U.S.S. Bradford, 545) at Bethlehem Steel in Long Beech, CA. In June 1943, we left for the South Pacific. During my tour on the Bradford I made Chief Torpedoman.
“I was discharged Feb. 17, 1946, at Long Beech, CA., and came back to Duluth and later joined the Naval Reserve on Park Point. I received my 20 years plus and did not draw my retirement pay until 1980.”
Medals awarded: American Defense Services medal, Navy Good Conduct medal, American Campaign medal, WWII Victory medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal with 12 Campaign Stars, Navy Occupation Service medal with Asia clasp, Combat Action ribbon.
“My ship, the Bradford, received the Navy Unity commendation for her service as a radar picket ship during the Okinawa operation.”
