World War II Honoree

William Graydon Watrous

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Syracuse, New York

Honored By

Steven, Bonnie & Bob

Relationship

Children

WARTIME ACTIVITY: SERVED ON THE SS FRANCIS DRAKE (DECEMBER 1942); MS YEMASEE (1943-1944); SS R.M. WILLIAMSON (1944-1945); AND SS PEREGRINE WHITE (1945). HE ENLISTED IN THE NAVY IN MAY 1942, WHERE HE WAS A SIGNALMAN 3RD CLASS. SERVED ON LIBERTY SHIPS WITH THE NAVAL ARMED GUARD FOR THE MERCHANT MARINES, MOSTLY IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC. AFTER OBTAINING PERMISSION FROM HIS PARENTS (BEING UNDER AGE 21), HE JOINED THE NAVY AT THE CHIMES BUILDING IN SYRACUSE, NEW YORK. HE WAS SWORN IN AT ALBANY, NEW YORK AND SENT TO THE NAVAL TRAINING STATION BOOT CAMP AT NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND. BOOT CAMP LASTED 6 WEEKS. AFTER BOOT CAMP, HE ASKED TO BE A YEOMAN (CLERK). WAS SENT TO SIGNALMAN'S SCHOOL AT BUTLER UNIVERSITY IN INDIANA. HE WAS IN THE INDIANAPOLIS AREA FOR ABOUT 2 1/2 MONTHS, HAVING BEEN TAUGHT BY CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS. HE PASSED THE TEST AND WAS MADE A SIGNALMAN THIRD CLASS. FROM HERE HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE MERCHANT SIGNAL SCHOOL AT NOROTON HEIGHTS, CONNECTICUT FOR ONE MONTH, TO LEARN THE MERCHANT SIGNALS AND OTHER SECRET INFORMATION. IN NOVEMBER, HE WENT FROM THERE ON A TROOP TRAIN TO TREASURE ISLAND, NEAR SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. HE WAS TOLD TO FIND THE 'FRANCIS DRAKE', A NEW LIBERTY SHIP. THE SHIP WAS ALONE WITH NO CONVOY, SAILING TO SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. THE CREW HAD TO PRACTICE AND DRILL, LOADING GUNS, ETC. HIS BATTLE STATION WAS AS A LOADER OF A 20MM ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN. ONCE HE ARRIVED IN SYDNEY, THEY TOOK ON FRESH WATER AND HEADED FOR ADEN, ARABIA, THEN WENT UP TO THE RED SEA, THROUGH THE SUEZ CANAL, WHERE HE UNLOADED CARGO. THEN IT WAS ON TO ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT FOR 2-3 WEEKS. AT PORT SAID IN THE MEDITERRANEAN, THEY LOADED UP AGAIN AND WENT TO TRIPOLI. THIS TOOK ABOUT 2 WEEKS. THE NEXT ASSIGNMENT WAS TO GO TO MALTA. THE CARGO ONBOARD SHIP WAS GELLED NITRATE, 100 OCTANE GAS, SHELLS, AMMUNITION AND GASOLINE. AN ENGLISH GUN CREW WAS ON BOARD WITH THEM. THE FINAL DESTINATION WAS CHANGED TO SYRACUSE, SICILY INSTEAD OF MALTA. AFTER THIS, HE HEADED HOME THROUGH THE STRAITS OF GIBRALTAR. GOT BACK TO BROOKLYN AFTER 9 MONTHS AT SEA. HE HAD 3 YEARS OF SEA DUTY, HAVING SERVED 3 1/2 YEARS IN THE NAVY. SEPARATED FROM THE SERVICE AT LIDO BEACH, LONG ISLAND.