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Lieut. Willard Watson was killed in an aircraft crash at Chartres, France, on September 28, according to a message from the War Department to his wife, Mrs. Wana Watson, received here Tuesday morning.
He was a son of Mrs. Jetta Watson of Flat River. A brother, Cpl. Darrell Watson, is somewhere in England.
Lieut. Watson was married to the former Miss Wana Lewis of Des Arc. The last letter received from him by his wife was dated August 24th.
Published by the LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Fri. Oct. 27, 1944.
- 1930 Census:
Name Willard Watson
Birth Year abt 1921
Gender Male
Race White
Age in 1930 9
Birthplace Missouri
Marital Status Single
Relation to Head of House Son
Home in 1930 Pendleton, St. Francois, Missouri, USA
Map of Home Pendleton,St. Francois,Missouri
House Number 138
Dwelling Number 145
Family Number 154
Attended School Yes
Able to Read and Write Yes
Father's Birthplace Missouri
Mother's Birthplace Missouri
Able to Speak English Yes
Neighbors View others on page
Household members
Name Age
W A Watson 37
Jetta Watson 31
Dora Watson 12
Willard Watson 9
Belva M Watson 7
Darrell Watson 6
Clarence Watson 3
Oneida Watson 2
Harlin Watson 0
- The Junior College of Flat River
presents
A MEMORIAL SERVICE AND BOOKLET
Honoring Its Gold Star Heroes
April 13, 1947
WILLARD WATSON
Willard Lee Watson, son of William A. Watson and Jetta L. Watson of Flat River, was born January 27, 1921. He attended the Junior College from September, 1939, to December, 1940. Being a member of the National Guard, he was called into active service before completing the first semester of his sophomore year in Junior College. He was first sent to Camp Robinson, Arkansas and later to California. During his training he never lost touch with the Junior College. Through the school paper and correspondence with friends and teachers he kept up with activities around the College. The same thing held true while he was serving as a machine gunner in the infantry during the Aleutian campaign.
Willard wanted to be a flyer. All during the hardships of warfare in the frozen North, he never gave up hope that some day he would become a pilot. He studied and worked constantly toward that end, and at last he got his chance. He was returned to the States for training in the air corps, and his first mission was to visit the Junior College and spread the good news among friends. Soon thereafter he was sent to California to begin his training. As usual he kept up his correspondence with friends around the College, sometimes dropping into the U. S. O. to make a recording instead of writing the conventional letter. During his period of' training, the biggest news he passed along was that on December 11, 1943, he married Wana L. Lewis of Des Arc.
After taking his preliminary flight training in California, Willard was sent to a field at Pecos, Texas, where he was graduated and received his commission as second lieutenant. Shortly thereafter, in the summer of 1944, he returned to the Junior College for a visit, quite proud of his wings and his bride, who accompanied him on the visit.
Not long after his visit here, Willard was sent overseas, and on September 28, 1944, he met death in an aircraft crash near Chartres, France.
- armyairforces.com of WWII
Information according to the ABMC website:
Willard L. Watson
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # O-777878
454th Bomber Squadron, 323rd Bomber Group, Medium
Entered the Service from: Missouri
Died: September 28, 1944
Buried at: Plot I Row 18 Grave 11
Brittany American Cemetery
St. James, France
B-26, serial 41-34879 of the 454th BS which crashed on this date.
The aircraft a veteran of 108 combat missions was named "Little Lulu" and carried the unit code RJ-X.
It spun in and crashed over A-40 airfield, Chartres, France for reasons unknow.
On this day it was being flown by a new crew. The pilot was 1st Lt. Burl L Lukenbill.
I don't have the rest of the crew names to confirm 100% this is the aircraft you are looking for, but I don't have any other ETO Marauder losses listed for this date.
This may help.
Have checked John O. Moench's book:"Marauder Men (about 323rd BG). It seems that he has listed this crew as lost a year earlier than it actual happened according to your posting. This is from Chapter Seven (September 1943) and is listed under description of five last missions that month; from 16th including 27th.:
In the non-battle area, however, six men of the 454th BS were lost in an aircraft crash:
T/Sgt Charles A. Brecker, T/Sgt Leonard K. Hardy, 1st Lt. Frank L. Hawkins, 1st Lt. Burl L. Lukenbill, S/sgt Joseph W. Maxwell and 2nd Lt. Willard L. Watson.
The 323rd had no mission September 28th 1944, they moved to A-40 Chartes on September 21st 1944. Under this month is written: For unknown reasons, on the 28th a 323 BG Marauder, "Little Lulu", flown by a new aircrew spun in at Chartres.
As both the names Willard L. Watson and Burl L. Lukenbill appears in the crew above, it is reason to believe that there might be an error in Moench's book, and that this crew is the actual crew lost 28th September 1944.
The nose art is described as "CARTOON CHARACTER LITTLE LULU FIRING A TOMMY-GUN".
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1921 - 1944 (23 years)
