ALFREDO PECKSON, CAPT, PA
Alfredo Peckson '33
Lucky Bag
From the 1933 Lucky Bag:
ALFREDO PECKSON
Manila, Philippines
"Pec"
He hails from Manila, this likeable chap with his ready smile and envied ability to make and keep friends. Never an ardent advocate of "wine, women and song." Pec came here for a purpose and one can tell by the steady glint in his eye and the set of his jaw that he means to do it. His great ambition is to organize a Philippine Steamship Company and start a merchant navy of his own. Often he grows eloquent in discussing the righteousness of his country's cause, bringing into play the principles of our great Americans, and he knows them from A to Z as well as he does the heroes of his native land.
Radio is his pet hobby—which explains why he got the coveted "plus two" in seamanship at every recitation. His smile spells "carry on" to the Plebes who have come to believe that he was Santa Claus in disguise—a gift sent from somewhere to make up for the, "Best People on Earth." This last, to such an extent that many wondered why the name-plate, "Peckson, A." over his door was not changed to "Plebe's Haven." He is going back to Manila, taking with him our respect and affection and the knowledge that we are proud to say, "Our Pec—a great comrade and a true friend."
Radio Club 4, 3, 2, 1; Quarter-deck Society 1; 2 P. O.
Alfredo was the only member of his class from the Philippines.
ALFREDO PECKSON
Manila, Philippines
"Pec"
He hails from Manila, this likeable chap with his ready smile and envied ability to make and keep friends. Never an ardent advocate of "wine, women and song." Pec came here for a purpose and one can tell by the steady glint in his eye and the set of his jaw that he means to do it. His great ambition is to organize a Philippine Steamship Company and start a merchant navy of his own. Often he grows eloquent in discussing the righteousness of his country's cause, bringing into play the principles of our great Americans, and he knows them from A to Z as well as he does the heroes of his native land.
Radio is his pet hobby—which explains why he got the coveted "plus two" in seamanship at every recitation. His smile spells "carry on" to the Plebes who have come to believe that he was Santa Claus in disguise—a gift sent from somewhere to make up for the, "Best People on Earth." This last, to such an extent that many wondered why the name-plate, "Peckson, A." over his door was not changed to "Plebe's Haven." He is going back to Manila, taking with him our respect and affection and the knowledge that we are proud to say, "Our Pec—a great comrade and a true friend."
Radio Club 4, 3, 2, 1; Quarter-deck Society 1; 2 P. O.
Alfredo was the only member of his class from the Philippines.
Loss
From a 20th reunion yearbook called "Double Three Roundup," published in 1953, via Find A Grave:
Al returned to his home in the Philippines following graduation and through the good offices of the Governor General in the Philippines, Honorable Frank Murphy (now deceased), obtained employment at the Manila Observatory. In March 1936 Al accepted an appointment as Third Lieutenant in the Philippine Army and was, within a few months, promoted to Second Lieutenant and assigned as an instructor at the Philippine Military Academy — Baguio City, Philippines.
In July 1937, the Philippine Government sent Al to the Signal School at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and Al and his bride, the former Rosario Yandoc, of Baguio City, Luzon, made many friends among the service personnel attending Signal School. Al was promoted to First Lieutenant Philippine Army in June 1938 and returned home in September of that year for an assignment to the newly organized Philippine Off-Shore Patrol in Manila, — now called the Philippine Navy. Al served in this assignment for about one year but in December 1938 he was transferred to the Philippine Army and became an instructor at the Camp Murphy Officer's School. Later in October 1940 Al was again assigned to the Philippine Military Academy — this time as the Signal Corps and dancing instructor.
At the outbreak of World War II Al was serving in the grade of Captain, Philippine Army, and was assigned as Commanding Officer of the 11th Signal Company of the 11th Division under General William Brougher, with headquarters at Manaog, Pangasinan, Philippines. On December 8, 1941, Al was planning the retreat of General Brougher at Urdaneta, Pangasinan, when he was supposed to have been ambushed and killed. A thorough search before his company retreated to Bataan, failed to locate him, and inquiries during and following the war have revealed no further light on the tragic event.
Rosario writes most interestingly of Al's outstanding service to his country and of her life with him, in addition to telling us of the terrible ordeal that she and her children were forced to undergo during the Japanese occupation. Rosario and the children, Benjamin (1938), Erlinda (1940) and Alfredo, Jr. (1942), are now residing in Baguio City, Philippines (P.O. Box 11). All of the youngsters are attending school there and Rosario has fond hopes that the eldest son will enter the Naval Academy when he is eligible.
A fitting tribute was paid to Al in 1949 when he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the Philippine Presidential Accolade and Wounded Soldier's Medal. These awards were presented to Rosario in a solemn military ceremony at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City.
Namesake
The Philippines navy ship BRP Alfredo Peckson (PC-372) was named for Al.
Memorial Hall Error
Al's rank of Captain is omitted from Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
