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name
WATSON, Clarence - Date of
birth
27 April 1912 -
Age
32 -
Place of birth
Fairmount, Grant County, Indiana -
Hometown
Fairmount, Grant County, Indiana -
Ethnicity
White
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
35350588 -
Rank
Private First Class -
Function
Gunner -
Unit
B Company,
774th Tank Battalion
-
Awards
Purple Heart
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
16 December 1944 - Place of
death
In the vicinity of Gürzenich, Hürtgen Forest, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Luxembourg - Tablets of the Missing
Immediate family
-
Members
James F. Watson (father)
Ida M. (Johnson) Watson (mother)
Lula Watson (sister)
Dorothy Watson (sister)
Dorcie Watson (brother)
Orlando H. Watson (brother)
Otis S. Watson (brother)
Paul W. Watson (brother)
Grace (McKelleb) Watson (wife)
More information
Pfc Clarence Watson attended Fairmount High School and was employed by the Paranite Wire and Cable Co.He enlisted in Indianapolis, Indiana, on 2 April 1942. He was sent overseas in August 1944.
The IDPF of Pvt Wyley Sears contains a statement of S/Sgt William J. Cambre, the tank commander, who recalled what happened: "On or about 16 December 1944, while fighting in Gurzenich, Germany, my tank was knocked out and burned after receiving a direct hit on the fuel container of the flame-thrower. Pvt Wyley Sears, tank driver, and Pfc Louis Hovitz, light machine gunner, were killed instantly. Pfc Clarence Watson, Cannoneer, was killed while trying to get out the tank turret by enemy machine gun fire and fell back inside the tank turret. Cpl Walter G. Czerwinski, Tank Gunner, and myself, Tank Commander, were the only two that succeeded in escaping from the tank."
Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, www.abmc.gov, WWIImemorial, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - family trees, IDPF of Wyley V. Sears
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, www.findagrave.com, The Leader-Tribune - 18 February 1945