World War II Honoree

Wilson Douglas Watson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Tuscumbia, Alabama

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. PRIVATE, U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE, 2ND BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 3RD MARINE DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: IWO JIMA, VOLCANO ISLANDS, FEBRUARY 26-27, 1945. ENTERED AT ARKANSAS. CITATION FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN SERVING WITH THE 2ND BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 3RD MARINE DIVISION DURING ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES ON IWO JIMA, VOLCANO ISLANDS, FEBRUARY 26-27, 1945. WITH HIS SQUAD ABRUPTLY HALTED BY INTENSE FIRE FROM ENEMY FORTIFICATIONS IN THE HIGH ROCKY RIDGES AND CRAGS COMMANDING THE LINE OF ADVANCE, HE BOLDLY RUSHED 1 PILLBOX AND FIRED INTO THE EMBRASURE WITH HIS WEAPON, KEEPING THE ENEMY PINNED DOWN SINGLE HANDEDLY UNTIL HE WAS IN A POSITION TO HURL IN A GRENADE AND THEN RUNNING TO THE REAR OF THE EMPLACEMENT TO DESTROY THE RETREATING JAPANESE AND ENABLE HIS PLATOON TO TAKE ITS OBJECTIVE. AGAIN PINNED DOWN AT THE FOOT OF A SMALL HILL, HE DAUNTLESSLY SCALED THE JAGGED INCLINE UNDER FIERCE MORTAR AND MACHINE GUN BARRAGES AND, WITH HIS ASSISTANT BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLE (BAR) MAN, CHARGED THE CREST OF THE HILL, FIRING FROM HIS HIP. FIGHTING FURIOUSLY AGAINST JAPANESE TROOPS ATTACKING WITH GRENADES AND KNEE MORTARS FROM THE REVERSE SLOPE, HE STOOD FEARLESSLY ERECT IN HIS EXPOSED POSITION TO COVER THE HOSTILE ENTRENCHMENT'S AND HELD THE HILL UNDER SAVAGE FIRE FOR 15 MINUTES, KILLING 60 JAPANESE BEFORE HIS AMMUNITION WAS EXHAUSTED AND HIS PLATOON WAS ABLE TO JOIN HIM. HIS COURAGEOUS INITIATIVE AND VALIANT FIGHTING SPIRIT AGAINST DEVASTATING ODDS WERE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTINUED ADVANCE OF HIS PLATOON, AND HIS INSPIRING LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THIS BITTERLY FOUGHT ACTION REFLECTS THE HIGHEST CREDIT UPON HIM AND THE U.S. NAVAL SERVICE.