World War II Honoree

Kenneth Winstead Watkins

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Damascus, Maryland

Honored By

Evelyn Watkins

Relationship

Wife

INDUCTED 12 MARCH 1943, HE BEGAN ACTIVE SERVICE ON 19 MARCH 1943. TRAINED INTENSIVELY AS A MORSE CODE SPECIALIST AND A RADIO TRAFFIC ANALYST WITH THE 127TH SIGNAL RADIO INTELLIGENCE COMPANY, HE WAS DEPLOYED 8 MARCH 1944 TO THE CHINA, BURMA, INDIA THEATER, ARRIVING AT CALCUTTA 8 APRIL 1944. HERE HE FLEW THE “HUMP” TO KUNMING, CHINA, HIS STATION FOR INTERCEPTING JAPANESE FORCES RADIO CODE FROM THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND ELSEWHERE. HIS PROFICIENCY AS A CODE ANALYST EARNED HIM PROMOTION TO TECHNICAL SERGEANT 5TH CLASS. HE SERVED IN THIS ISOLATED POST UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR, AGAIN FLYING THE “HUMP”, DEPARTING INDIA 8 DECEMBER 1945 AND ARRIVING NEW YORK CITY 3 JANUARY 1946. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED 9 JANUARY 1946. HIS SERVICE CREDITS INCLUDE THE ASIATIC PACIFIC THEATER, THE CHINA WAR MEMORIAL BADGE, AND THE CHINA, CENTRAL BURMA, AND INDIA BURMA CAMPAIGN MEDALS.