Captain John H. Peters, retired, died
Saturday, February 3, 1951, at his home in Menlo Park, California,
from thrombosis. Funeral services were held at 11:30 a.m., February
7, 1951, at the Roller and Hapgood Funeral Home in Palo Alto and
interment was in the Golden Gate National Cemetery.
Captain Peters was born February 18, 1886, at Coal Grove, Ohio.
He received his education at Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware,
Ohio, and the Case School of Applied Science, Cleveland, from
which he was awarded the Reid Physics Prize in 1907. He entered
on duty in the Coast and Geodetic Survey September 20, 1907,
and retired from active duty on March 1, 1948, by reason of
having reached the statutory age of retirement. He was Chief
of Party on precise leveling and magnetics in the western United
States; triangulation in Louisiana; and wire drag along the
coast of Maine. He was Commanding Officer of the Ship RANGER
engaged on combined operations in the Gulf of Mexico and on
wire drag investigations in Puerto Rican waters. He served in
Alaska as Executive Officer of the Ships DISCOVERER and SURVEYOR,
and in the Philippine Islands as Commanding Officer of the Ship
FATHOMER. His office assignments included duty as Officer in
Charge of the Honolulu Magnetic Observatory from 1927 to 1938,
and Supervisor, Southern District, New Orleans, Louisiana from
May 1946 to March 1947.
Captain Peters was Supervisor of Construction of the new modern
survey Ships EXPLORER and PATHFINDER. He was also responsible
for much development work in the design of a radio-current-meter
which has revolutionized the methods used by this bureau in
measuring ocean currents.
During World War I Captain Peters was on active duty with the
Army from September 24 to November 14, 1917, and with the Navy
from November 1917 to March 1919, as Lieutenant Commander aboard
the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON transporting troops from New York
to France. During World War II he served as the bureau's liaison
officer on the staff of the Commandant, Northwest Sea Frontier.
For this service he was commended in a special letter by Admiral
J.W. Reeves, USN.
Captain Peters achieved much during his long career of service
to his country. He has a record of which the Coast and Geodetic
Survey is proud.
Surviving relatives are his wife and two daughters.
?, Vol. 19, No. 7, 2/13/1951
