Section 18. Lieutenant Commander John J. Peterman Memorial Highway.
(a) Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Lieutenant Commander John J. Peterman was born in Nordmont, Sullivan County, on January 19, 1923, and, in 1941, graduated from Sullivan Highlands School, Sonestown. He enlisted in the United States Navy 11 days after graduation.
(2) Lieutenant Commander Peterman spent the early years of his service in the Navy assigned to submarines. Lieutenant Commander Peterman was initially assigned to the USS Flying Fish (SS229). While abroad, Lieutenant Commander Peterman made nine war patrols, having a part in the Battle of Midway, patrolling the Truk Lagoon off the Caroline Islands and patrolling in the Sea of Japan.
(3) After serving aboard submarines for 11 years, Lieutenant Commander Peterman served as a torpedo instructor. In 1955, Lieutenant Commander Peterman became a commissioned officer, serving at ammunition depots in New Jersey and California. He also spent time on the USS Henrico (APA45) as a gunnery officer and then on the USS Sperry (AS12) as a weapons repair officer. He served the last five years of his Navy career as an underwater weapons officer in Newport, Rhode Island. Upon retiring in 1972 as a lieutenant commander, he returned home to his native Sullivan County, where he served a term as county sheriff and as a Laporte Township Supervisor.
(4) Lieutenant Commander Peterman was active in his community where, as a member of the Williamsport Base of the United States Submarine Veterans, Inc., he participated in visits to the Janet Weis Children's Hospital, visiting with pediatric patients while making them "honorary submariners." Lieutenant Commander Peterman would wear his uniform for these visits, often giving the children a living history lesson. Lieutenant Commander Peterman was also an active member of the Sonestown American Legion Post #601.
(b) Designation.--The section of State Route 220 from State Route 2081 in Shrewsbury Township, Lycoming County, to State Route 42 in Laporte Township, Sullivan County, is hereby designated as the Lieutenant Commander John J. Peterman Memorial Highway.
(c) Signs.--The Department of Transportation shall erect and maintain appropriate signs displaying the name of the highway to traffic in both directions on the highway.