Sergeant Peters was born in Youngstown Oct. 12, 1920, was the son of William and Selma Wellendorf Peters. Before entering the service he worked at Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation's McDonald works. He was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church. The sergeant had been in the army three years, serving on a B-29. He was the left gunner on B-29 #42-6389 "Party Girl".

He died on December 7, 1944 on a mission to the Mukden aircraft factory from forward base in Pengshan, China. The plane he was in hit a mountain after the Mukden raid. He is now buried in the Tod Homestead Cemetery, Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, USA.

The official report:
Failed to return from the mission and was contacted 1 hour and 15 minutes from A-7 (Pengshan). The element leader contacted 42-6389 and told Aircraft Commander Lt. Lyons to break up formation in order to start descent through the undercast. 42-6389 answered back and started a 360-degree turn, which is normal procedure for aircraft flying in the #3 position. The element leader started a descend into the undercast but upon finding that ice was beginning to form on the wings very quickly decided to climb above the undercast and make a quick descent in the general area of A-7. 42-6389 was never seen again after starting the 360-degree turn.

Sergeant Peters one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com