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The White Boats of Pearl Harbor: Unveiling the Heroic Stories Behind Their Names
Chapter 6: TB-39–6, PETER TOMICH
BORN — Born in Bosnia Herzegovina on June 3, 1893.
MARKED MOMENT — An Army veteran, Tomich joined the Navy ten days after his Army enlistment expired.
DEC. 7, 1941 — Tomich was a Chief Watertender in the boiler room aboard USS Utah.
PREWAR SERVICE
Tomich was a Herzegovinian Croat, born in Prolog, near the Bosnian Herzegovinian town of Ljubuški. The region was under Austro-Hungarian rule and in 1913, Tomich immigrated to the United States.
In 1917, he joined the Army and served during World War One. Ten days after being discharged, Tomich received his American citizenship and joined the Navy in 1919. His first assignment was aboard the Clemson-class destroyer USS Litchfield (DD-336).
Tomich rose through the ranks, and by 1941 was a Chief Watertender on board the USS Utah (AG-16), with 22 years of naval service.
Tomich was known around the waterfront as “the most experienced” and “the best.” As with many…
