Pete Peterson

Pete Peterson
Ambassador of the United States of America to Vietnam
In office
April 11, 1997 – July 15, 2001
PresidentBill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded byInaugural holder
Succeeded byRaymond Burghardt
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
Personal details
Born
Douglas Brian Peterson

(1935-06-26) June 26, 1935 (age 89)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
CitizenshipAmerican[1], Australian (since 2002)[2]
Political partyDemocratic
Nickname"Pete"
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Air Force
Years of service1954–1980
RankColonel
Unit433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron
Battles/warsVietnam War (WIA)
AwardsSilver Star (2)
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal (3)
Purple Heart

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.

  1. ^ "Pete Peterson starts business". Tallahassee Democrat. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference webb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).