Peter Thorlief Hulth Jr.

Peter Thorlief Hulth, Jr.
November 10, 1924 - December 20, 2011
Smithfield, NC
Mr. Hulth was born on November 10, 1924, in Columbia, South Carolina, a son of the late Peter T. and Nellie Lilly Hulth. He is predeceased in death by his parents and a granddaughter, Cabel Ruth Hulth. He is also predeceased by his sister Anna Shepard.
He attended public school in Columbia and Georgetown, S.C. In 1942 and 1943 Mr. Hulth served as a Private First Class, Bugler, and Air Raid Warden.
As a Naval Reservist, Mr. Hulth spent three tours of active duty. During World War II he was assigned to LST 996 and participated in the initial invasion of Southern France. The ship made seven more assault landings in France, Italy, Morocco, Turkey, Algeria, and Senegal. The ship then left the Mediterranean for the Pacific and the amphibious assault on Okinawa. He served from 1943-1946 in World War II. In 1948 he was assigned to teach the NATO sailors how to operate the radio receivers and transmitters.
During the Korean War, he served as a Staff Radioman for Commander Destroyer Flotilla Four and as a Rear Admiral. His military awards include the American Theater Medal, The Asiatic Pacific Medal with one Battle Star, the European-Mediterranean Middle Eastern Star Medal with one Battle Star, the WWII Victory medal, the Navy Occupation Medal with European Clasp, and the National Defense Service Medal. He also received a Cold War Certificate of Recognition from the Secretary of Defense.
He was a life member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, of which he was a past Commander.
In 1949 he met and married Mary Ann Ziebol, a native of Minnesota, who served as a Navy nurse during the Cold War. He received an AB Journalism Degree from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1953.
In 1953 and 1954 he was the News Editor of The Commonwealth, a weekly newspaper in Scotland Neck. From 1955 until his retirement in 1992 he was a staff writer for The Smithfield Herald. In 1967 he won the First Place State Award for Spot-News Reporting given by the N.C. Press Association for semi-weekly papers and a First Place Award for Feature Series on the Johnston County Health Department.
During this time he volunteered with the East Carolina Boy Scout Council. He was an Explorer Advisor, a Neighborhood Commissioner, and a Council Commissioner. He was elected a member of the elite Tartan Guards, which honored Dame Flora MacDonald when she visited North Carolina.
He and other parents organized the Johnston County Association for Retarded Citizens and were instrumental in getting the first 18 Special Education classes in the Johnston County Schools as well as Johnston County Industries, the sheltered workshop for job training of disabled adults. In 1968 Mr. Hulth served as the Regional Director for the N.C. Department for Mental Retardation.
Mr. Hulth helped organize the Johnston County United Way and served as its Publicity Chairman for 8 years. He was a member of the Smithfield Salvation Army Board for 18 years; 2 as Chairman. He was presented 8 service plaques.
One of his hobbies was outboard boating and he was certified by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for the successful completion of courses in boating, seamanship, piloting, marine engines, marlingspike, sailing, weather, radio telephone, and locks and dams.
Mr. Hulth's principal hobby was amateur radio. His general class call was N4SXG. He was a life member of the Society of Wireless Pioneers the Triangle East Amateur Radio Association, and the American Radio Relay League. He was considered an expert Morse Telegrapher and had taught code to other Hams, Boy Scouts, Naval Reservists, and Civil Defense members. As a Ham Radio Operator he was a Skywarn Spotter, reporting unusual weather to the National Weather Service.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Ziebol Hulth, two sons, Peter Thorlief Hulth III (Rocky) of Smithfield and Paul Hansen Hulth and wife Melanie of Clayton, daughters Pamela Teresa Lacklen (Suni) and husband Greg of Greensboro, Patricia Anne Hulth of the home, Margaret Lynn Tippett (Peggy) and husband Terry of Middlesex, 8 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at his residence, 209 N. Third St., Smithfield, NC, from 6 until 9 PM Thursday, December 22, 2011.
No formal services are planned.