Gerret Martin Peters Sr.

PVT in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co C

ASN#32702198

Born 1921 in NY, Died 1981

County of residence at enlistment: Queens County, NY

Other residence(s): Richmond Hill, NY; Queens, NY; South Ozone Park, NY; Hempstead, NY; Uniondale, NY; Bridgeville, PA; McDonald, PA; Wallingford, CT

United States Army, European Theatre of Operations

College education before the war: NYU (2 courses)

College education after the war: Hofstra University

Source: Travel Orders, 23d HQ, 29 August 1945; Christmas 1944 Company C poem; photo courtesy Gerret Peters, Jr. and Lillian Peters Haines

Gerret Peters was born on December 22, 1921 in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY, the third of four children. His father, who had been born in Germany, worked for a contractor; his mother had been born in Denmark.

Gerret with the 603rd battalion sign.

Gerret graduated from Richmond Hill High School in January, 1942 and registered for the draft a few weeks later, on February 16, 1942. He was working for the D. H. Litter Co., which supplied raw materials to the paints, varnishes, and coatings industry. During this time, he took a couple of courses at NYU in “Advanced Organic Coatings.” He was living in South Ozone Park, Queens when he enlisted on December 31, 1942. Possibly his experience with the paint industry made him an attractive candidate for a camouflage assignment; he eventually found himself in the 603^rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion where he was known to his fellow soldiers as “Pete.”

Gerret and Lillian on their wedding day.

Gerret married Lillian Marie Finney on April 9, 1943 and Lillian settled with his mother in South Ozone Park while he went back to his unit. In June, 1944, he was overseas with the 603^rd when his home was one of a thousand or so dwellings “condemned” (with little notice and below-market compensation) by the New York City Board of Estimate in order to build Idlewild Airport; Gerret’s mother and Lillian relocated to an apartment in Richmond Hills.

Gerret (far right) with fellow Ghost Army soldier John Jarvie (second from left) in Paris.

“Pete” was especially close to fellow 603^rd member John Hapgood. While the unit was stationed in Luxembourg, the two men were approached by a gentleman from Grevenmarcher, who told them that he had watched the unit looking for two “decent, mild-mannered soldiers.” They were invited to dinner at his home, and Gerret remained in close contact with the family after the war. His daughter, Karen, visited the family in Luxembourg in 1971 and the Luxembourg daughter visited the Peters family in America the following year.

Gerret was discharged from the Army on October 24, 1945 and went back to work at D. H. Litter as a manufacturer’s sales agent. He also took advantage of the GI Bill to study at Hofstra University between 1947-1950. He and Lillian would go on to have three children: Gerret, Jr., Karen, and Lillian. With a growing family, they moved to Uniondale, NY in 1948.

Gerret’s next careeer move was to Eagle Paint and Varnish in Long Island City where he worked on development, formulation, and evaluation of plant production for architectural and maintenance paints. In 1956, he took a job with American Cyanamid and relocated the family to the Bridgeville, PA area. His son recalls those seven years living on an 11-acre farm in rural McDonald, PA (just southwest of Pittsburgh) as “glorious years of farming, hunting, and fishing.” In 1963, he was transferred to American Cyanamid’s Stamford, CT office, and the family moved to Wallingford, CT.

Sometime in the 1970s, he took a job at Voltax Industries in Bridgeport, CT as the New England technical salesman (still working in industrial paints and finishes). Gerret’s daughter reports that “he loved that job and the company president after many years of not being fully appreciated.”

Gerret’s hobbies included hunting, fishing, and boating. He was a Coast Guard licensed captain of his vessel, Norddorf; his plan was to use it as a fishing boat to augment his income in retirement. He was a member of the Venice (PA) United Presbyterian Church (including serving as church trustee), and a director of the McDonald, PA Grange Hall. He later joined the Grange Hall in Wallingford, CT. He was also a member of the Meriden Power Squadron; the Central Connecticut Striper Club; the Wallingford, CT Rod & Gun Club; the National Rifle Association; and the Paint and Varnish Production Club.

Sadly, Gerret’s retirement plans never came to fruition—he died suddenly at home on June 18, 1981 at the age of 59. He is buried at In Memoriam Cemetery in Wallingford, CT.

A hand-drawn greeting card to Lillian, Gerret's widow, in 1982, referencing a 603rd "stag" party he held; "George Diestel flew in from Hollywood."

NOTE: The relationship with fellow camoufleur John “Hap” Hapgood continued for the rest of Gerret’s life. Hap sent him hand-drawn Christmas cards every year, including a card to his widow, Lillian, the year after his death (shown to the left). In 1983, Lillian and her daughter and son-in-law traveled to Block Island on the vessel Norddorf to visit Hap and dine at his home. Hap said that he felt as if he had known Lillian during the war as Gerret read her letters aloud, and shared photos from home.