Winston Harl Watson (1919 - 1945)

Born 13 Dec 1919 in Tennessee, United States

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 25 in Philippine Sea

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Biography

Fireman 2nd Class Winston Watson served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started:
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Fireman 2nd Class Winston Watson was Killed in Action during World War II.

Winston Watson was awarded the Purple Heart.

Winston was born in 1919. He is the son of Samuel E. Watson.

On 12 Oct 1941 Winston married Edna Blanch Dailey in Monroe, Tennessee.^[1]

Winston enlisted in the navy reserve. When he was called for duty, he was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 30 Dec 1944, serving as a Fireman 2nd Class. In July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sent on a secret mission to deliver the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island without an escort, on the return trip, still without escort, it was attacked by a Japanese submarine. The USS Indianapolis sank in 15 minutes on 30 Jul 1945 with some 300 of the 1,195 crewmen aboard going down with the ship. With few lifeboats and many without life jackets, only 316 of the nearly 900 men set adrift survived the 4 days before rescue. Winston was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the US Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.^[2][3][4][5]

Winston is honored at several memorials. The family memorial at Haven Hill Memorial Gardens, Madisonville, Monroe County, Tennessee.^[6]Winston is honored at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Philippines.^[7] And the U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Indiana ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Tennessee, U.S., Marriage Records, 1780-2002 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2675519:1169
2. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30452737:1143
3. ↑ U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S., Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30269046:9170?tid=&pid=&queryId=9a8ba9e0e99af7bb704bf519cff05877&_phsrc=UfF2&_phstart=successSource
4. ↑ U.S., World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/151782:4283?tid=&pid=&queryId=9a8ba9e0e99af7bb704bf519cff05877&_phsrc=UfF5&_phstart=successSource
5. ↑ U.S., Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/337186:1102?tid=&pid=&queryId=9a8ba9e0e99af7bb704bf519cff05877&_phsrc=UfF6&_phstart=successSource
6. ↑ U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/81459553:60525 Haven Hill Memorial Gardens! Madisonville, Monroe County, Tennessee
7. ↑ Global, Find a Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4245487:60541
8. ↑ U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/186930764:60525

• 1920 United States Federal Census https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/99992562:6061
• 1930 United States Federal Census https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/66869541:6224