World War II Honoree

Thomas Lawrence Watkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Damascus, Virginia

Honored By

Thomas Robert Watkins

Relationship

Son

SEAMAN 1ST CLASS. ENTERED ON JANUARY 24. 1945. UPON COMPLETION OF BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP PEARY, VIRGINIA ON MARCH 27. 1945, ASSIGNED TO THE USS THOMAS DE-102. THE USS THOMAS WAS PART OF A HUNTER KILLER TASK FORCE ASSIGNED TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC TO SEARCH AND DESTROY GERMAN SUBMARINES. ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 29, 1945, THE THOMAS ANSWERED A CALL FOR HELP FOR THE USS NATCHEZ PF-2 THAT HAD MADE SONAR CONTACT AND SIGHTED THE SNORKEL OF A GERMAN SUBMARINE EAST OF CAPE HENRY. AFTER A SERIES OF ATTACKS BY THE THOMAS, BOSTWICK DE-103 AND COFFMAN DE-191 THE GERMAN SUBMARINE U-548 HAD BEEN DESTROYED. DURING ITS WWII SERVICE, THE USS THOMAS RECEIVED FOUR BATTLE STARS. AWARDED THE AMERICAN THEATRE RIBBON AND THE EUROPEAN THEATRE RIBBON AND WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE NAVY ON JULY 8, 1946.