George Watson (U.S. Army)

Infobox Military Person
name= George Watson
born=
died= death date|1943|3|8
placeofbirth= Birmingham, Alabama
placeofdeath= near Porloch Harbor, New Guinea
placeofburial= at sea


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears= 1942–1943
rank= Private
commands=
unit= 2nd Battalion, 29th Quartermaster Regiment L&B
battles= World War II
awards= Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross Purple Heart
laterwork=

George Watson was a private in the United States Army who was killed in action during World War II. He was one of seven African-American soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during World War II, and the only one of the seven to earn his medal while serving in the Pacific Theater.

__TOC__

A resident of Birmingham, Alabama, He had entered the Army 1 September 1942, and was a member of the 2nd Battalion, 29th Quartermaster Regiment. He was a passenger aboard the Dutch steamer USAT "s'Jacob" on 8 March 1943, which was near Porlock Harbor, New Guinea, when the ship was hit by Japanese bombers.

When the ship was abandoned, Watson remained in the water and, instead of trying to save himself, assisted soldiers who could not swim into life rafts.

Weakened by his exertions, he was dragged down by the suction of the sinking ship and drowned. His body was never recovered. ("Other reports indicate that George Watson was brought onto HMAS Bendigo and was tried to be revived but could not. He was allegedly then buried at sea with full military honors.")

Awards and honors

Watson's military awards include: Medal of Honor (as of 23 September 1996); Purple Heart; Army Good Conduct Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; and World War II Victory Medal.

*Watson had no known next of kin, so his medals are displayed in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum, Fort Lee, Virginia.

*A field at Fort Benning in Georgia is named in his honor.

*In 1997, the United States Navy named USNS|Watson|T-AKR-310 in Private Watson's honor. "Watson" is the lead ship of her class of large, medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off (LMSR) ships.

*The new Jefferson County Courthouse being built outside Birmingham in Bessemer, Alabama will be named "The Private George Watson Courthouse".

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
*List of African American Medal of Honor recipients

References

:"This article contains text in the public domain from the United States Army."
*Kelly, S.H. [http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/print.php?story_id_key=2187 "Seven WWII vets to receive Medals of Honor"] , "Army News Service", 13 January 1997. (URL accessed on 23 April 2006).

External links

*cite web|accessdate=2007-03-27|url=http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jan1997/n01151997_9701154.html
title= Army Finally Recognizes WWII Black Heroes
author=Jim Garamone |date=14 January 2003
work=DefenseLINK News
*cite web|accessdate=2007-09-10|url=http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/citations/watson.htm |title= MSC: Medal of Honor Recipients

Persondata
NAME= Watson, George
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=