World War II Honoree

Robert Vernon Watson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Oak Park, Illinois

Honored By

Paul Edwards

Relationship

Nephew

FIRST SENT TO CAMP GRANT NEAR ROCKFORD, AND THEN TO O'REILLY HOSPITAL IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, WHERE HE WAS A SURGICAL TECHNICIAN. HE HELPED TAKE CARE OF A WARD OF GERMAN OFFICERS, WHO WERE PRISONERS OF WAR, AND SPENT TIME PLAYING CHECKERS WITH THEM. FROM THERE HE WAS SENT TO CAMP CARSON IN COLORADO SPRINGS, TO FORT BRAGG, AND THEN CAMP KILMER IN NEW JERSEY. HE SERVED AS A MEDIC ON BOARD THE USS SUSAN B. ANTHONY. EARLY IN THE MORNING OF JUNE 7, 1944, WHILE CRUISING THROUGH A SWEPT CHANNEL OFF NORMANDY, THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY STRUCK A MINE WHICH EXPLODED UNDER HER NUMBER 4 HOLD. IMMEDIATELY, SHE LOST ALL POWER, AND HER RUDDER WENT HARD LEFT AND STUCK. BY 08:05, HOLDS NUMBERS 4 AND 5 WERE SHIPPING WATER BADLY, AND THE SHIP TOOK ON AN EIGHT DEGREE LIST TO STARBOARD. IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE HIS SHIP, THE COMMANDING OFFICER ORDERED THE EMBARKED SOLDIERS TO MOVE TO THE PORT SIDE. THIS HUMAN BALLAST SOON BROUGHT ANTHONY BACK TO AN EVEN KEEL. HOWEVER, SOON THEREAFTER, FIRES ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE AND FIRE ROOMS, AND THE TRANSPORT BEGAN TO SETTLE MORE RAPIDLY. AT THIS POINT, THE CAPTAIN CONCLUDED THAT THE SHIP WAS LOST AND ORDERED HER ABANDONED. AT 10:10, SUSAN B. ANTHONY WAS GONE. NO ONE WAS KILLED, AND FEW OF THE 45 WOUNDED WERE SERIOUSLY HURT.