DISPATCH SUPERVISOR JOSEPH PEIRONNET III

ID 8324

SDPD 12/03/1973 - 12/03/1992

04/16/1924 - 06/18/2014

Joseph William Peironnet, III (known always as 'Bill') was born in Riverside, CA on April 16, 1924 to Joseph William Peironnet, Jr. of California and Lutena Peironnet of Colorado.

Bill's first night away from home was at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Point Loma, where he enlisted at age 17. He joined four days before Pearl Harbor, and after the attack he was handed a rifle and ordered to watch for Japanese on the beaches of San Diego.

Bill was part of the 'island hopping' campaign in the South Pacific, and every full moon he took cover in a foxhole while the Imperial Air Service cratered his tiny outpost.

Ironically Bill survived to see his battleship destroyed not by the Japanese but by his own forces after the war, at the Bikini Atoll; he was witness to the first underwater test of the atom bomb and, with it, the irradiation of the USS Pennsylvania.

Bill made his career in Naval communications, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. While attached to the flagship USS Providence, he was a part of the inner command of the Seventh Fleet.

He was a 'key carrier' for nuclear launch codes, and later headed communications at an air base in southern Spain.

Bill provided strategic support at cold war flashpoints, and lived with his family in the Philippines, Japan, Spain and Taiwan.

Although he fought in World War II, Korea and Vietnam -- retiring after 31 years -- Bill still aimed to serve. Thus he began a second career in communications with the San Diego Police Dept. and ultimately was supervising dispatcher. His service was so invaluable that, after nearly 20 years with the SDPD, the San Diego City Council proclaimed it 'Bill Peironnet Day' upon his retirement.

In 1971 Bill settled in Point Loma, where he lived until roughly four years ago when he moved in with his son and family. Bill passed away at home in his sleep on June 18, 2014.

Bill is survived by his son J. William Peironnet, IV (also 'Bill'); daughter- in-law Launy R. Senee; grandson Joseph William Peironnet, V; and grand- daughter Simone Peironnet, all of Los Gatos, CA.

Bill was very much a family man, and he will be missed every day. He was honorable, selfless and a true patriot, and it is not an overstatement that his career and life were the American Century writ large. Lt. Commander Peironnet shall be interred with full military honors -- carriage, riderless horse, presentation of the flag and 21-gun salute -- at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

THE THIN BLUE LINE

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