Captain Paul B Peterson, Nebraska, Service Number: O1293468, 329th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army. The 329th landed in France on June 23rd. Five days later it relieved the 101st Airborne at Carentan and until the great breakthrough on July 25th, the regiment participated in some of the most fiercest fighting of the war, assaulting one enemy fortified hedgerow after another. On Jul 19, 1944, Captain Peterson joined E Company from HQ 329th Infantry Regiment. (It would appear he was a replacement officer).

Following the July 25th breakthrough from Normandy, the 329th was still engaged in vicious combat as it pushed the enemy to the Taute River. On July 26, 1944, at 1240 hrs, Company E sent word to HQ that it "had no officers". Captain Peterson and the other officers were MIA. HQ checked the aid station and did not find them. A few hours later, at 1610 hrs., Co E. reported Captain Peterson and three other officers were found severely wounded in action (SWA) and 3 were still missing.

Mortally wounded Captain Peterson was transferred to the 103rd Evacuation Hospital.

The last news article on Captain Peterson's death reported that he actually died the day he was wounded. Apparently, his family received the telegram of his wounding and then three weeks later of his death. His family assumed he was recovering in an Army hospital.

His hospital card is less help in clarifying the circumstances of his death. It does not identify him by name, only his service number. It does specify, however, that he was a combat casualty and died during the month of July, 1944. It is unknown why the August 1, 1944 death date was recorded by the Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil Commission as he was clearly deceased by then.

Captain Peterson was awarded the Purple Heart, most likely posthumously.