World War II Honoree

Fred Watt

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Memphis, Tennessee

Honored By

An Indebted American

TRAINED AT CAMP CLAIBORNE, LOUISIANA IN 1942. SENT TO ENGLAND FOR THE INVASION OF FRANCE. BLACK TROOPS HAD RECEIVED INFANTRY TRAINING AND WERE SERVING IN REAR ECHELON OR NON-COMBAT UNITS. AFTER THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, GENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER ASKED THEM TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE FRONT TO REPLACE THE LOST SOLDIERS. HE ACCEPTED ALTHOUGH HE LOST HIS RANK. HIS FIRST COMBAT CAME IN FIGHTING AT ST. LO. HIS UNIT PUSHED ACROSS FRANCE AND INTO BELGIUM AND GERMANY. WAS SHOT THROUGH THE LEFT LEG WHILE DEFENDING A HOUSE. RESCUED AND CARRIED TO SAFETY BY A FELLOW SOLDIER. RECOVERED FROM HIS WOUND AND RETURNED TO THE FRONT. SAILED HOME ABOARD THE QUEEN MARY WITH A BRONZE STAR AND A PURPLE HEART.