Wilson D. Watson

Infobox Military Person
name= Wilson Douglas Watson
born= birth date|1921|2|16
died= death date and age|1994|12|19|1921|2|16
placeofbirth= Earle, Arkansas
placeofdeath= Russellville, Arkansas
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Marine Corps United States Army
serviceyears= 1942-1946 (USMC) (1946-?) (US Army)
rank= Specialist 5
commands=
unit= 2nd Battalion 9th Marines
battles= World War II *Battle of Bougainville *Battle of Guam *Battle of Iwo Jima
awards= Medal of Honor Purple Heart
laterwork=

Wilson Douglas Watson (16 February 1921 - 19 December 1994) was a United States Marine Corps private who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on Iwo Jima during World War II. He single-handedly killed more than 60 enemy soldiers, thus enabling his platoon to advance. After World War II, Watson continued his military service in the United States Army.

Biography

Wilson Watson was born on 16 February 1921 in Earle, Arkansas. Before his enlistment in Little Rock, Arkansas, on 6 August 1942, he worked on his father's farm and completed seven years of grade school. Watson received his basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, and was deployed overseas on 24 January 1943.

Serving as an automatic rifleman with Company G, [cite web|url=http://www.caltrap.org/ap/honors.asp
title=3rd Marine Division Medal of Honor Recipients
publisher=The Third Marine Division Association
accessdate=2006-07-15] 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division during the bitter fighting on Iwo Jima, Watson earned the Medal of Honor for heroism during 26-27 February 1945, when he single-handedly killed more than 60 Japanese and enabled his pinned-down platoon to continue the advance. In the attack, he was shot seven times. He was evacuated from Iwo Jima after he suffered a gunshot wound in the neck on 2 March 1945. He previously saw action at Bougainville and Guam.

Private Watson was presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on 5 October 1945 at the White House.

Following his discharge from the Marine Corps, he enlisted in the United States Army as a private on 30 September 1946 working as a mess hall cook. He eventually reached the rank of Specialist 5.

Wilson Watson died on 19 December 1994 in Russellville, Arkansas.

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
PRIVATE WILSON D. WATSON UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Automatic Rifleman serving with the Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 26 and 27 February 1945. With his squad abruptly halted by intense fire from enemy fortifications in the high rocky ridges and crags commanding the line of advance, Private Watson boldly rushed one pillbox and fired into the embrasure with his weapon, keeping the enemy pinned down single-handedly until he was in a position to hurl in a grenade and then running to the rear of the emplacement to destroy the retreating Japanese and enable his platoon to take its objective. Again pinned down at the foot of a small hill, he dauntlessly scaled the jagged incline under fierce mortar and machine-gun barrages and with his assistant automatic rifleman charged the crest of the hill, firing from his hip. Fighting furiously against Japanese troops attacking with grenades and knee-mortars from the reverse slope, he stood fearlessly erect in his exposed position to cover the hostile entrenchments and held the hill under savage fire for fifteen minutes, killing sixty Japanese before his ammunition was exhausted and his platoon was able to join him. His courageous initiative and valiant fighting spirit against devastating odds were directly responsible for the continued advance of his platoon and his inspiring leadership throughout this bitterly fought action reflects the highest credit upon Private Watson and the United States Naval Service.

/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Iwo Jima

Notes

References

:Marine Corps
* [http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/HD/Historical/Whos_Who/Watson_WD.htm Wilson Douglas Watson] , "Who's Who in Marine Corps History", History Division, United States Marine Corps.
* [http://www.usmc.mil/moh.nsf/000003c919889c0385255f980058f5b6/0000033ba9f47a7385255fa6005516ed?OpenDocument Pvt Wilson D. Watson, Medal of Honor, 1945, 2/9/3, Iwo Jima] , Medal of Honor citation.
* [http://www.thehistorynet.com/wwii/letters_05_05/ "A Hero Among Us"] , "World War II Magazine", May 2005. (URL accessed May 18, 2006) A letter about Watson's service in the Army.
* [http://www.caltrap.org/ap/honors.asp Third Marine Division Medal of Honor Recipients] (URL accessed on May 18, 2006)

Persondata
NAME= Watson, Wilson D.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=