Governor’s Honors Veteran Dr. Peter Stonebraker ‘60

The Governor’s Academy was honored to host Dr. Peter Stonebraker '60 as the Veterans Day convocation speaker on November 7. History Department Chair Erin O’Connell introduced Dr. Stonebraker, who served in the U.S. Army for 21 years, including as a combat veteran in Vietnam. The evening before his Convocation appearance, he connected with students at Mansion House over dinner, and later, during a class block, he shared insights and stories from his military career.

To kick off Convocation, students provided an historical context for Veterans Day and the Vietnam War before Dr. Stonebraker took the stage. He shared memories from his distinguished career, touching on the complexities of serving in Vietnam and his return to an America fraught with anti-war sentiment. Reflecting on a moment in 1968 when he was taunted and spat on while wearing his uniform, he expressed how challenging that experience—and the nation's treatment of returning Vietnam veterans—had been. Stonebraker acknowledged the pain of losing friends in combat, losses he still finds difficult to discuss. 

“It’s a shameful period of American history—how we treated Vietnam veterans,” he observed, further noting the difficulties veterans faced reintegrating and securing jobs despite valuable skills. Sharing his own career path, Dr. Stonebraker recounted obstacles, such as losing a university teaching position over differing views on the war, which further shaped his resilience.

Yet Stonebraker did learn to succeed, much of which he credits to his days as a student at Governor’s. He is known today for his academic and professional contributions, particularly in supply chain management and operations. A Clinical Professor at Loyola University, he is a recognized expert with a PhD from Arizona State University and an MBA from Jacksonville State University. He has also authored numerous books and articles and has provided consulting to major corporations.

Stonebraker fondly recalled his formative years at the then all-male Governor Dummer Academy. “I owe much of what I learned in life at Governor Dummer Academy,” he said, reflecting on teachers such as Latin teacher Buster Navins ‘31, English teacher Mac Murphy, and history teacher Tom Mercer P'61,'64 who all helped instill a love for knowledge and teamwork. Additionally, the Govs sports programs contributed to his ability to win or lose gracefully and to work as a team member. He also highlighted the popularity of the Glee Club, explaining it was the only chance for boys to interact with girls from nearby schools through joint concerts and dances. “It was the most popular activity at GDA, at that time,” he added with a smile.

After graduating from Bowdoin College, where his father encouraged him to join the ROTC, Stonebraker was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Military Intelligence. His subsequent training at Fort Benning, and language school and his first tour in Panama laid the foundation for his service in Vietnam.

In a Q&A session facilitated by Erin O'Connell, he discussed Tim O’Brien’s Vietnam War era novel, The Things They Carried, referencing the scene called the Rainy River moment where the narrator contemplates dodging the draft by traveling to the Canadian border and crossing the Rainy River. Stonebraker likened the “Rainy River moment” to decisions everyone must face about their values and identity. “At that time, guys were scared to go off to war," he said. "Some day, you will have your ‘Rainy River moment,’” he advised, urging students to be thoughtful about their own beliefs and actions, recognizing that of the some 9-12 wars, in America’s roughly 250 year history, there are some just or moral wars and others that are not.

To close out the day, Stonebraker greeted a line of students eager to ask more questions and thank him for his service. 

HONOR FLIGHT

An Honor Flight provides US military veterans with a trip to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials that honor their service. The Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization that coordinates these trips free of charge to veterans.

Stonebraker never imagined how his family and the Govs community would help him come full circle and reconcile some lingering pain over his experiences as a veteran. Stonebraker was surprised to learn that his daughter, Katja, nominated him for an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., an experience that brought new joy and some closure to his military memories. With the help of Katja and his fiancée, Denise Axtell, the Govs community joined in honoring him by filling his “Mail Call” with letters of thanks and support. Read a personal account from Stonebraker on his Honor Flight experience. 

Students Erin Walsh ‘25 and Emily Prinn ‘25 further partnered with Operation Gratitude, leading an initiative where advisory groups collected items and thank-you notes for veterans, emphasizing the community’s appreciation and respect for service members.

Thank you, Dr. Stonebraker, and all veterans, for your service.