Pete Peterson

Douglas Brian "Pete" Peterson (born June 26, 1935) is an American politician and diplomat. He served as a United States Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War and spent over six years as a prisoner of the North Vietnamese army after his plane was shot down. He returned to Hanoi when he became the first United States Ambassador to Vietnam in 1997. He was an ambassador until July 2001, after which he devoted himself to philanthropic work.

Pete Peterson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Florida's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1997
Preceded byBill Grant
Succeeded byAllen Boyd
Ambassador of the United States of America to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
In office
April 11, 1997 – July 15, 2001
Preceded byInaugural holder
Succeeded byRaymond Burghardt
Personal details
Born
Douglas Brian Peterson

(1935-06-26) June 26, 1935
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
CitizenshipAustralian (since 2002)[1]
NationalityAmerican
Political partyDemocratic
Awards Silver Star Medal
Legion of Merit
Purple Heart Medal
Prisoner of War Medal
Military service
Nickname(s)"Pete"
AllegianceUnited States of America
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service1954–1980
Rank Colonel
Unit433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
Battles/warsVietnam War (WIA)

Early life and education

Peterson grew up in Milton, Iowa and attended college at the University of Tampa. He joined the U.S. Air Force and served in the Vietnam War, where his F-4 Phantom II fighter was shot down on September 10, 1966. He spent six years in prison, a period he described as "hours and hours of boredom, spliced with moments of stark terror."[1] He was released on March 4, 1973.

Career

After the Vietnam War, Peterson remained in the U.S. Air Force and retired in 1981 as a colonel with 26 years of service. After retirement he established a general contracting firm in Tampa, Florida and later a small computer company in Marianna, Florida. He served for 5 years on the faculty of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida.

In 1990, Peterson ran as a Democrat for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in Florida's 2nd congressional district. He defeated James W. Grant, a politician who grew unpopular after switching from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in the middle of his second term.

He declined to run for a fourth term (he was succeeded by Allen Boyd) and in 1997 was asked by President Bill Clinton to become the United States's first post-war ambassador to Vietnam.[1] One of his goals was securing an account of those still listed as missing in action from the war and so helping to resolve the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue.

On November 17, 2000, he was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Clinton.

Philanthropy and business

Since retiring as ambassador, Peterson founded The Alliance for Safe Children, TASC, which aims to lower preventable injuries to children worldwide, and focuses specifically on such issues as drowning in Asia.[2][3] With his wife he started a company whose aim it is to promote American business in Southeast Asia.[4]

Peterson is a senior advisor for Albright Stonebridge Group, an international strategic consulting firm.

Personal life

Peterson's first wife died in 1995. Two weeks after his installation in Hanoi, he met Vi Le, Australia's senior trade commissioner, born in Vietnam, whom he married. In 2002, he moved to Melbourne, Australia, so they could be closer to her family.[1]

In 2009, Peterson acquired Australian citizenship.[1]

See also

References
  1. Webb, Carolyn (17 September 2009). "POW's journey to Australia, via love in Vietnam". The Age. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
  2. "Children from developing world dying of preventable injuries: UN". ABC News. 6 October 2002. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  3. William Kremer (23 March 2013). "Pete Peterson: The ex-POW teaching Vietnam to swim". BBC News magazine.
  4. "Pete Peterson starts business". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 27 February 2002. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Bill Grant		 U.S. Representative
Florida's 2nd congressional district
1991–1997		 Succeeded by
Allen Boyd
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
new office		 United States Ambassador to Vietnam
April 11, 1997–July 15, 2001		 Succeeded by
Raymond Burghardt
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