Highway Sign Serves as Reminder to Thousands – Anthony Del Mar Peterson

SGT Anthony Peterson served in the Oklahoma National Guard. He was killed in action while serving in the Zurmat district, Paktya province, Afghanistan on August 4th, 2011. He was 24 and on his second deployment. He is survived by his parents Garth and Terra, two siblings, a son and numerous other family and friends.

I met with Anthony’s parents to learn more about who he was.

Anthony was athletic, loved the outdoors and was always training for something. Despite being a protective big brother, he also liked teasing his siblings. He once tied both of them up and hid them in a closet telling them they needed to learn how to escape in case they were ever captured. When his parents talked to him about it afterwards, he said he was just training them.

Both of his grandfathers and an uncle served in the military, however, they aren’t what influenced him to join. When he was in kindergarten, the family lived in California close to Mather Air Force Base. His mother Terra reminisced about them seeing men jumping out of a Blackhawk helicopter and young Anthony watching with big eyes and stating that’s what he wanted to do when he grew up. His compassion for the military would deepen after the events of September 11, 2001 which drew him to sign up for the military using the delayed entry program. He was so proud, he wore his uniform to his graduation ceremony. Anthony’s father believes he also knew that his parents couldn’t afford to send him to college so joining the military would take that burden off of them.

After his 2005 graduation from Chelsea High School, Anthony volunteered for his first deployment. During that time he was notified that his ex-girlfriend had a son and he was the father. As soon as he came back from that deployment he was an instant father as his son was already under his parents guardianship and living with them. The most important things in his life were God, family and country. His favorite quote was, “Come home with your shield or on it.” In the Spartan world where this quote comes from, to come home without your shield is a sign of cowardice. To come home on your shield (dead) is a sign of honor, meaning you fought til the death.

Garth and Terra Peterson are proud of the man Anthony became and are grateful for the time they had with him. They raised his son, who is now almost twenty years old and is an aspiring music producer. From the time that his dad was killed, he was taught that he had gone to be with God. His memories were kept alive through sharing what was in their hearts, by honoring his life and remembering his sacrifice.

The Peterson’s love seeing their son’s name on a highway sign and hope that it will serve as a reminder to the thousands who drive past it daily to appreciate our freedom and raise awareness about the families who have paid the ultimate price for it. They admit that their own awareness about such sacrifices and the meaning of Memorial Day and Veterans Day grew deeper when they lost Anthony. They encourage people to look up the name of those listed on the highway signs and learn about who they were.

I asked what they would say if they could say anything to Anthony. They agreed they would tell him they loved him and how grateful they are that God lent him to them. I asked what they thought he might say to them. Dad said he would say, “I love you.” Mom said he would say, “Good job, Mom. You did exactly what I wanted you to do.”

Garth and Terra have never lost their faith in God. They remain grateful for the twenty-four years they had with Anthony and for the gift of being able to raise his son.

SGT Anthony Del Mar Peterson is laid to rest at Ft. Gibson National Cemetery. •
story and photos by Jill Stephenson, mother of a fallen soldier.