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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.
- 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.
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1921 - 1944 (23 years)
