THE WALL OF FACES

Please see the following site (USAF Museum) for an account of
Maj. Peterson's act of heroism. http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/vietnam/ashau2.htm

What a brave, brave unselfish hero he was.

Born and raised in Manson,Iowa. Valedictorian high school. Graduated engineering Iowa State. Oldest child of Raymond and Bernice Peterson. Six brothers and sisters. Received wings at Enid, Oklahoma. Left for Vietnam October of 1965 from his home state of Iowa. Reported M.I.A. March 9,1966. Declared dead February 1978 and had a honorary (memorial) service April 15, 1978.

I knew Del Peterson when we trained together at Forbes AFB, Wichita KS in 1965. He was flying as co-pilot for Willard Collins in an AC-47 gunship that was shot down under a very low ceiling while engaging the enemy in the Ashau valley of I Corps. (This happened in early 1966, during the same day and battle that MOH winner Bernie Fisher landed his A-1 Skyraider on the Ashau strip under fire to rescue "Jump" Meyers, his downed squadron mate.)

Bill Collins skillfully crash-landed the AC-47 but was then mortally wounded. With other members of the crew wounded by enemy fire and injured from the crash, Del Peterson, armed with only an M-16, charged and silenced an enemy machine gun, allowing rescue of the others. Peterson was not heard from again. For his actions he was postumously awarded the Air Force Cross.

Art Benjamin, Maj-USAF (Ret)