Added a bit more to the introduction page.← Previous revisionRevision as of 14:21, 22 October 2026 Line 43: Line 43: | education = [[Wayne State College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])[[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]]) | education = [[Wayne State College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])[[University of Nebraska–Lincoln|University of Nebraska]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]]) }} }} '''Frederick Valdemar Erastus Peterson''' (July 18, 1903 – October 17, 1983) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 26th governor of Nebraska from 1947 to 1953, as director of the [[Federal Civil Defense Administration]] from 1953 to 1957, [[United States Ambassador to Denmark|U.S. ambassador to Denmark]] from 1957 to 1961, and [[U.S. Ambassador to Finland]] from 1969 to 1973.[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.94702e711043a03e9d28aca9501010a0/?vgnextoid=2ed484ba6b3a7010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1d2bbe8f5f392010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=print ''Nebraska Governor Frederick Valdemar Erastus (Val) Peterson'' (Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States)] '''Frederick Valdemar Erastus Peterson''' (July 18, 1903 – October 17, 1983) was an American politician and diplomat who served as the 26th governor of Nebraska from 1947 to 1953.A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], he also served in [[World War II]] as a [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] in the [[United States Army Air Forces]]. Later, he would serve as the Administrator of the Federal an ambassador under three different Presidential administrations. Peterson won three terms as [[Governor of Nebraska]]. He first won in [[1946 Nebraska gubernatorial election|1946]], winning a crowded primary to succeed outgoing Governor [[Dwight Griswold]] and then defeating [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Frank Sorrell]] in a landslide, garnering 65.5% of the vote. He defeated Sorrell again in [[1948 Nebraska gubernatorial election|1948]] in a slightly closer victory (Yet still by over 20 percentage points) and comfortably won a third term over [[Walter Raecke]] in [[1950 Nebraska gubernatorial election|1950]]. He was chair of the [[National Governors Association]] from 1951 to 1952, Instead of running for a fourth term in [[1952 Nebraska gubernatorial election|1952]], Peterson unsuccessfully challenged [[Hugh A. Butler]] in the [[1952 United States Senate election in Nebraska|concurrent election for the United States Senate]]. He would lose the primary by 15 points. He was succeeded as Governor by [[Robert B. Crosby]]. After leaving office, newly elected [[President of the United States|President]] [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] nominated Peterson to serve as the Administrator of the [[Federal Civil Defense Administration]]. He would later serve as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Denmark|Ambassador to Denmark]] under Eisenhower and [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Finland|Ambassador to Finland]] under [[Richard Nixon]].[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.94702e711043a03e9d28aca9501010a0/?vgnextoid=2ed484ba6b3a7010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1d2bbe8f5f392010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=print ''Nebraska Governor Frederick Valdemar Erastus (Val) Peterson'' (Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States)] ==Early life and education== ==Early life and education== Line 49: Line 53: ==Career== ==Career== Peterson worked as a teacher, school administrator, and newspaper man. He was the Elgin superintendent of schools and was the publisher of ''The Elgin Review'' for ten years. During [[World War II]] he served as lieutenant colonel in the [[United States Army Air Forces]]. Peterson worked as a teacher, school administrator, and newspaper man. He was the Elgin superintendent of schools and was the publisher of ''The Elgin Review'' for ten years. During World War II he served as lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Air Forces. Peterson first entered politics as the campaign manager for the [[Hugh A. Butler|Hugh Butler]] 1940 U.S. senatorial bid. He also was the administrative assistant and secretary to Governor [[Dwight Griswold]] from 1941 to 1942. Peterson next secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination, and was elected governor in November 1946. He was reelected to a second term in 1948, and to a third term in 1950. Peterson first entered politics as the campaign manager for the [[Hugh A. Butler|Hugh Butler]] 1940 U.S. senatorial bid. He also was the administrative assistant and secretary to Governor [[Dwight Griswold]] from 1941 to 1942. Peterson next secured the Republican gubernatorial nomination, and was elected governor in November 1946. He was reelected to a second term in 1948, and to a third term in 1950.