Justin D. Peterson
Captain, United States Marine Corps
September 30, 1974 – October 1, 2006
Age – 32
Davisburg, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, CA
Killed a result of injuries from a non-hostile vehicle accident that occurred when his team was moving between bases.
United States Marine Corps Captain Justin Dale Peterson was born on September 30, 1974, in Rochester, MI. His family moved to Virginia and then Kentucky before returning to Michigan when Justin was 15. Justin loved all sports. He played soccer all through high school and college, but also participated in many other sports on intramural teams in college. He loved watching movies and was often quoting lines from some of his favorites. Most of all, Justin loved being with friends and family, just spending time together, talking, laughing, and pulling pranks on each other.
Justin graduated from Southfield Christian School in Southfield, MI, in 1992 And enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps immediately following high school graduation. He attended boot camp in July 1992 and served in the USMC reserves until he graduated from college. He attended Taylor University in Upland, IN, where he was a goalie on the men’s soccer team and received a BA in Business Administration. While in college, he used his summers to complete Officer’s Candidate School. Following graduation from Taylor University in 1997, he was commissioned and began his time on active duty.
Justin was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in August 1997, and left for school at Quantico, VA, in September 1997. Justin was a Supply Officer stationed at Cherry Point, NC, after completing his basic training. Following his time in North Carolina, he received orders to serve as the Active Duty Assistant Inspector & Instructor for the 1st Battalion 24th Marines, a reserve unit stationed in Detroit, MI. After three years in Detroit, he was sent to Quantico, VA, in 2005, to attend Expeditionary Welfare School.
Following school, he received orders to report to Twentynine Palms, CA, where he was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, 1st Tanks Battalion. It was there that Capt Peterson was selected to be part of a small team that was deployed to western Iraq to train Iraqi Forces at the border.
“He’ll be missed,” said Sgt. Roy Garza, a warehouse clerk who worked with Peterson eight months before deployment. “He was a good man and he was always smiling.”
Peterson was inspired to become a Marine at a young age by his grandfather, Don Woodworth, who was a Warrant Officer in the Marine Corps. The family’s link with the Marine Corps is still in tact, for Peterson’s 21-year-old brother, Joshua, is also a Marine in the Marine Corps Reserves. Peterson was also the son of a Baptist Minister and a man of tremendous faith.
Peterson was notorious for smoking cigars and staying late at work while constantly sketching lists and blueprints onto napkins. He conducted wall-to-wall inventory in less than six months, and was always eagerly searching for new ways to improve the supply shop.
“He liked to get his hands dirty right alongside his men,” said Lt. Col. Jim Stopa, the battalion commanding officer.” Stopa said that his work ethic and attention to detail were critical and that Peterson believed his assignment was an honor. “The call came to arms and he stepped forward,” said Stopa.
Though several Marines spoke on Peterson’s behalf at the ceremony, they all touched on the fact that he was a wonderful family man.
“One great thing about him was what a balance he struck,” said Major Lee M. Rush, the battalion executive-officer. “He was a strong family man and a great Marine. His desire to serve and sacrifice and contribute was immense.”
Master Sgt. Darrell A. Williams agreed. “He was a hard worker who was dedicated to his family,” said Williams. “He had so much knowledge of his job. If there were more officers like him in the Corps, there’d be fewer problems.”
Stopa, in his speech to the crowd, said that one word came to mind when he thought about the loss of Peterson: sacrifice.
Rush received the same impression.
“It’s good knowing that if he had to do it all again, the warrior in him would do it all the same way. He wouldn’t have traded with anyone.”