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and Wagner were planning to open a flying school in addition to flying at fairs and special local occasions. During 1916 Peterson made some exhibition flights at night with fireworks attached to the plane.

Just before World War I there was talk of raising a local subscription in Denver and vicinity to make Peterson and the Wagner plane available for free instruction to all local Army [[strikethrough]] Air Service [[/strikethrough]] aviation enlistees, but [[strikethrough]] apparently [[/strikethrough]] this plan did not materialize. Later, in May, 1917, Lt. William Russell arrived in Denver and a training unit was planned in which Peterson and the [[strikethrough]] local [[/strikethrough]] airplane were to be [[strikethrough]] made a part [[/strikethrough]] used but nothing came of this venture. Peterson did some flying there during the spring and early summer, and about July 1, 1917, he joined the U.S. Army, Signal Corps Aviation School at Chanute Field, Rantoul, Illinois, as a civilian flying instructor. On December 15, 1917, Peterson moved south with the school to their winter location at Park Field, Millington, Tennessee, where he remained until all civilian instructors were discharged from the service on December 31, 1918.

In November, 1918, Peterson had applied for a transfer to the Air Mail Service but his application was merely "put on file". [[strikethrough]] After his discharge from instruction service[[/strikethrough]] For a while he did some barnstorming but that [[strikethrough]] field was [[/strikethrough]]occupation became so overcrowded he soon decided to give up [[strikethrough]] the flying game. [[/strikethrough]] aviation as a career.

Peterson had a desire to retire to a safer and [[strikethrough]] more [[/strikethrough]] quieter life, and in 1919 bought a farm near Scottville, Michigan. He never lost his interest in aviation, however, and occasionally did some flying with local pilots when given the opportunity. He was also a guest at various state aviation meets and functions on numerous occasions. After gradually failing health Peterson passed away at the hospital in Ludington, Michigan, on September 8, 1953, of a heart ailment at age 76. He was survived by his wife and three sisters. There were no children. He was buried in Lakeview Cemetery, Ludington, Michigan.
 
Flying Pioneer Chriss J. Peterson deserves much credit for the part he played in the development of early American aviation progress. It was through his

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