WWII Navy Veteran George Peter, Post 21’s Oldest Member, Dies at 101
Update: Friends and family are invited to celebrate George’s life at the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Thursday, May 22, 2025, with a visitation from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Services will start at 6:00 pm, followed by full military honors. There will be a gathering at Post 21 afterwards.
George Peter, 101, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, a World War II Navy veteran and dedicated member of American Legion Post 21, passed away peacefully at 10:15 PM on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Born September 22, 1923, in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, George proudly served his country during World War II in the United States Navy as a Motor Machinist’s Mate Third Class.
Following boot camp, George trained aboard Sub-Chaser 1349. He remembered cruises off the North Carolina Coast where they fired K Guns and rolled all the Depth charges. He hated the K-guns because 25 ounces of black powder shaped like marbles were so loud that they hurt. That’s a big statement from a lifelong weapons enthusiast. He was later transferred to Little Creek and assigned to USS LSM(R) 198, a Landing Ship Medium (Rocket), whose maiden voyage was to Pearl Harbor, becoming part of the Fifth Fleet in the Asiatic Pacific theater.
Though George would modestly claim he “didn’t see much of the battle” from his post in the engine room, historical records and his own recollections tell a different story. During the fierce Battle of Okinawa, he witnessed Japanese dive bombers firsthand while his ship, USS LSM-R 198, delivered crucial shore bombardment support throughout the campaign. In one particularly harrowing incident, a sister ship just 200-300 yards away was destroyed by a kamikaze attack—a fact George wouldn’t learn until years later when reading historical accounts of the battle. When telling these stories, George would always mention that some of his friends were still there off the coast of that island.
On June 6, 1944—D-Day—George married his beloved wife Dorothy Fluorine Anderson. Their son, George Henry Peter, was born on June 28, 1949. After Dorothy’s passing in the 1970s and following his retirement from Chicago Cutting Die where he worked for 64 years, George relocated to Kenosha in 2002. His son George passed away on May 21, 2021. George never remarried because of his commitment to Dorothy.
Through a remarkable turn of events, George’s granddaughter Vanessa Blue, an Air Force veteran, discovered him through a Post 21 article in the Badger Legionnaire that she found online. After years of estrangement, their reunion brought new joy to George’s life. Vanessa became a beacon of light, helping him rediscover his zest for life after the loss of his son.
In Kenosha, George found a second family through dear friends who brought joy and companionship to his later years. He was particularly blessed by his close friendship with Bhavani “Bonnie” Abe, whose dedication and care were instrumental in extending and enriching his life. He also cherished his relationships with James and Pat Box, who became treasured family friends.
George maintained over 50 years of continuous membership in the American Legion, most recently with Kenosha Post 21. He was also an active member of Forty & Eight, Voiture 410, and Navy Club Ship 40, here in Kenosha. His commitment to veterans’ causes, his service to our nation, and his friendship will be remembered by all who knew him.
