Bob Peterson – US Marines

During Vietnam, Bob Peterson of Durham, Connecticut was an infantry soldier in the Marine Corps. He was stationed South of a de-militarized zone and close to Khe Sanh which was a monumental battle. He describes his surroundings as “hot”; he didn’t have housing but rather a tent and a poncho and a dug hole. This was his home for the four years he was there.

“We were constantly on the move, which was probably the hardest thing.” Peterson said. He spent the majority of the time from when he was 19 (when he enlisted) to the time he was 21 in Vietnam; however, he did get a couple weeks of R and R during that span. During one of those weeks, he traveled to Australia. “They spoke English. Everyone else was going to Thailand and not to say they didn’t speak English there, but Australia felt more like home.”

In the late 1980s, Mr. Peterson became the Commander of VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars). Prior to the late 1980s, Mr. Peterson had not been involved in the organization even though he had been home for years, “Not a lot of people wanted to do anything ‘Veteran’ related right after Vietnam.”  VFW helps not only Veterans but the community as a whole. The organization has installed a flagpole on the football field and an electronic scoreboard at the little league field; they help countless other families throughout our community by donating time and money .

To support the VFW organization along with the Boy Scouts, they will be holding their annual Veterans Day Celebration on the green on Veterans Day.

Bob Peterson is a family friend who continues to live in Durham.