Peregoy's mother died in 1931, forcing him to quit school to help his father support his seven siblings. In May, Peregoy joined Company K ("Monticello Guard") of the
116th Infantry Regiment of the
Virginia National Guard at
Charlottesville, the seat of Albemarle County. Because Peregoy was only fifteen at the time, he lied about his year of birth. The error became part of his official military records, along with an accidental misspelling of his surname. In 1941, Peregory married Bessie Kirby. As a member of the
29th Division Peregory moved with it to
Fort Meade,
Maryland, and the unit began training for participation in the war. While patrolling a beach in
North Carolina shortly after the
Pearl Harbor attack, Peregoy rescued a drowning comrade. In recognition of his action and disregard of danger to himself, he was awarded the
Soldier's Medal, the highest non-combat award that a soldier can receive for heroism.
Medal of Honor action After the assault had been postponed several times, on June 6, 1944, Peregory landed with the 116th at
Omaha Beach as part of the
Normandy Invasion, also known as
D-Day. His unit was among the first wave of troops to assault the beach but despite fierce enemy resistance that included heavy shelling and machine gun fire, his unit made its way to the town of
Grandcamp-Maisy, by June 8. While his unit advanced on the German defenses, the leading elements began receiving fire from German forces. The Germans were firmly entrenched on high ground overlooking the town and were able to inflict severe damage on Allied forces as they approached. Numerous attempts to neutralize the enemy position by supporting artillery and tank fire had proved ineffective until Technical Sergeant Peregoy risked his own life by advancing up the hill under heavy enemy fire. He worked his way to the crest of the hill, where he discovered an entrenchment which led to the main enemy fortifications 200 yards away. Without hesitating, he leapt into the trench and moved toward the emplacement. When he encountered a squad of enemy riflemen, he attacked them with hand grenades and his bayonet, killing eight and forcing three to surrender. He then continued along the trench, forcing 32 more German soldiers to surrender, including the machine gunners. This action opened the way for the leading elements of the battalion to advance and secure their objective. For his actions, Peregoy was recommended and approved for the Medal of Honor. ==Death and burial==