Frederick THORNTON Peters

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Frederick Thornton Peters, Captain, Royal British Navy, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while in command of the ship carrying Landing Forces of the United States Army into the harbor of Oran, Morocco, in the early morning of 8 November 1942. Captain Peters distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy during the attack on that post. He remained on the bridge in command of his ship in spite of the fact that the protective armor thereon had been blown away by enemy shell fire and was thereby exposed personally to the withering cross fire from shore defenses. He accomplished the berthing of his ship, then went to the forward deck and assisted by one officer secured the forward mooring lines. He then with utter disregard of his own personal safety went to the quarter-deck and assisted in securing the aft mooring lines so that the troops on board could disembark. At that time the engine room was in flames and very shortly thereafter exploded and the ship turned on its side and sank. Allied Force Headquarters: General Orders No. 19 (November 23, 1942) Born: September 17, 1889 at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada Home Town: Canada