Frank E. Petersen

Frank E. Petersen Jr.
Born(1932-03-02)March 2, 1932
Topeka, Kansas
DiedAugust 25, 2015(2015-08-25) (aged 83)
Stevensville, Maryland
Place of burial
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service / branch United States Navy
 United States Marine Corps
Years of service1950-1952 (USN), 1952-1988 (USMC)
RankLieutenant general
Commands1st Marine Aircraft Wing
VMFA-212
VMFA-314
Battles / warsKorean War
Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with Combat "V"
Distinguished Flying Cross
Purple Heart Medal
Other workDuPont DeNemours Inc., VP of Corporate Aviation
National Marrow Donor Program, Chairman[1][2]

Frank Emmanuel Petersen Jr. (March 2, 1932 – August 25, 2015) was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general. He was the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general.[3]

Petersen retired from the Marine Corps in 1988 after 38 years of service. "At the time of his retirement he was by date of aviator designation the senior ranking aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps and the United States Navy with respective titles of 'Silver Hawk' and 'Gray Eagle'. His date of designation as an aviator also precedes all other aviators in the U.S. Air Force and Army."[4]

In 2010, President Obama appointed Petersen to the Board of Visitors to the United States Naval Academy.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Embry-Riddle was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "NMDP Names General Frank E. Petersen Jr. as Board Chair". National Marrow Donor Program. July 22, 1999. Archived from the original on 2007-11-10. Retrieved 2008-08-18.
  3. ^ *Williams, Rudi (February 6, 2004). "Marine Corps' Magnetism Beckons Future General into World of Elite Warfighters". DefenseLINK News. U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 2006-10-14. Retrieved 2006-10-15.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference USMCbio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release September 16, 2010.