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Charles J. Watters

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Charles Joseph Watters
Major Charles J. Watters
Born(1927-01-17)January 17, 1927
Jersey City, New Jersey,US
DiedNovember 19, 1967(1967-11-19)(aged 40)
nearĐắk Tô,Kontum Province,Republic of Vietnam
Place of burial
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchAir National GuardUnited States Army
Years of service1962–1964 (ANG)
1964–1967 (USA)
RankMajor
UnitArmy Chaplain Corps
173rd Support Battalion
Battles/warsVietnam War
AwardsMedal of Honor
Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Air Medal

Charles Joseph Watters(January 17, 1927 – November 19, 1967) was achaplain(major) in theUnited States ArmyandRoman Catholicpriest. He wasposthumouslyawarded theMedal of Honorfor bravery exhibited while rescuing wounded men in theVietnam War'sBattle of Dak To.[1]

Born in 1927, Watters joined theAir National Guardin 1962. He left the Guard in 1964 to join the Chaplain Corps, and embarked on his first tour in Vietnam, taking part inOperation Junction Cityand earning medals during the tour. On an extension of his tour, during the Battle of Dak To, Watters rescued many wounded men from enemy fire, but was killed by afriendly bombstrike from an American bomber.

Biography

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Grave at Arlington National Cemetery

Charles Joseph Watters was born on January 17, 1927, inJersey City,New Jersey.Watters attendedSeton Hall Preparatory Schooland went on to graduate fromSeton Hall University.He was ordained as apriest[2]in 1953 for theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Newarkand served in parishes in Jersey City,Rutherford,Paramus,andCranford,New Jersey.

Watters was an active private pilot, flying small single-engine planes as far as Argentina. In 1962, Watters became a chaplain with theNew Jersey Air National Guard.In 1964, he entered active duty as achaplainwith the U.S. Army. He began his first 12-month tour of duty in Vietnam on July 5, 1966. During his first tour, he was awarded theAir Medaland aBronze Starfor Valor. At the end of his first twelve months, in July 1967, he voluntarily extended his tour for an additional six months.

Chaplain Watters also made the parachute drop inOperation Junction Cityon 22 February 1967.

On November 19, 1967, Chaplain Watters' unit was involved in close combat with the enemy in the vicinity ofĐắk Tô.For his "conspicuous gallantry... unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades" on that day, Chaplain Watters was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by Vice PresidentSpiro Agnewin a ceremony that also honoredJohn Andrew Barnes IIIandRobert F. Stryker.[3]Watters is buried inArlington National Cemetery.[4]

Medal of Honor citation

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ThePresident of the United Statesin the name ofThe Congresstakes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to

MAJOR CHARLES JOSEPH WATTERS
United States Army

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Chaplain Watters distinguished himself during an assault in the vicinity of Đắk Tô. Chaplain Watters was moving with one of the companies when it engaged a heavily armed enemy battalion. As the battle raged and the casualties mounted, Chaplain Watters, with complete disregard for his safety, rushed forward to the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, he moved among, as well as in front of the advancing troops, giving aid to the wounded, assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement, and administering the last rites to the dying. When a wounded paratrooper was standing in shock in front of the assaulting forces, Chaplain Watters ran forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and carried him to safety. As the troopers battled to the first enemy entrenchment, Chaplain Watters ran through the intense enemy fire to the front of the entrenchment to aid a fallen comrade. A short time later, the paratroopers pulled back in preparation for a second assault. Chaplain Watters exposed himself to both friendly and enemy fire between the two forces in order to recover two wounded soldiers. Later, when the battalion was forced to pull back into a perimeter, Chaplain Watters noticed that several wounded soldiers were lying outside the newly formed perimeter. Without hesitation and ignoring attempts to restrain him, Chaplain Watters left the perimeter three times in the face ofsmall arms,automatic weapons,andmortarfire to carry and to assist the injured troopers to safety. Satisfied that all of the wounded were inside the perimeter, he began aiding the medics... applying field bandages to open wounds, obtaining and serving food and water, giving spiritual and mental strength and comfort. During his ministering, he moved out to the perimeter from position to position redistributing food and water, and tending to the needs of his men. Chaplain Watters was giving aid to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded. Chaplain Watters' unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.

In memory

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The name Charles Joseph Watters is inscribed on theVietnam Veterans Memorial( "The Wall" ) on Panel 30E, Row 036.[5][6]

The bridge onRoute 3in New Jersey spanning thePassaic RiverbetweenCliftonand Rutherford has been named in honor of Chaplain Watters.

Public School No. 24 in Jersey City was named after him in the 1980s.

Chaplain Charles J Watters Center in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The Seton Hall University Army ROTC Ranger Challenge team is named the Charlie Watters Ranger Company.

At the Roman Catholic Church of the Epiphany in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, there is a rose garden dedicated in memory of Watters. There is a memorial plaque located in the center of the garden. It was organized and constructed in the late 1990s by classmate and friend, Fr. Thomas Olsen, then pastor of Epiphany Church.

Watters Chaplain Family Life Training Center on Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

There is a memorial located at St. Michael's Church[7]in Cranford, NJ commemorating his service to the parish and receiving the Medal of Honor.

Awards and decorations

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During his service, Watters was awarded the following awards and decorations;

V
Arrowhead
Bronze star
Bronze star
Badge Chaplain's Badge (Christian)
Badge Basic Parachutist's Badge(not shown is one bronze star for his combat jump)
1st row Medal of Honor
2nd row Bronze Star Medalw/ "V" for valor Purple Heart Air Medal
3rd row National Defense Service Medal Vietnam Service Medalw/ Arrowhead device and two bronzecampaign stars Vietnam Campaign Medalwith Device (1960– )

He also earned the following unit awards;

Presidential Unit Citation (United States) Meritorious Unit Commendation Gallantry Cross (South Vietnam)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^"Hero of Hill 875".Columbia Magazine - Knights of Columbus.May 1, 2024.RetrievedAugust 15,2024.
  2. ^"The Army Chaplaincy — Vietnam Remembered".U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-10-26.Retrieved2006-07-04.
  3. ^"Dedham Soldier Receives Posthumous Medal of Honor".The Dedham Times.November 10, 2017. p. 6.
  4. ^"Army Cemeteries Explorer".ancexplorer.army.mil.
  5. ^"Charles Watters, Major, Army".The Virtual Wall.Archived fromthe originalon 2006-01-11.Retrieved2006-07-04.
  6. ^Arlington National Cemetery profile
  7. ^"Cranford Historic Preservation Advisory Board".

References

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