Medal of Honor Citation:
| For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty. Chaplain Watters distinguished himself
during an assault in the vicinity of Dak To. Chaplain Watters was
moving with one of the companies when it engaged a heavily armed enemy
battalion. As the battle raged and the casualties mounted,
Chaplain Watters, with complete disregard for his safety, rushed forward
to the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, he moved
among, as well as in front of the advancing troops, giving aid to the
wounded, assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement,
and administering the last rites to the dying. When a wounded
paratrooper was standing in shock in front of the assaulting forces,
Chaplain Watters ran forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and
carried him to safety. As the troopers battled to the first enemy
entrenchment, Chaplain Watters ran through the intense enemy fire to the
front of the entrenchment to aid a fallen comrade. A short time
later, the paratroopers pulled back in preparation for a second
assault. Chaplain Watters exposed himself to both friendly and
enemy fire between the two forces in order to recover two wounded
soldiers. Later, when the battalion was forced to pull back into a
perimeter, Chaplain Watters noticed that several wounded soldiers were
lying outside the newly formed perimeter. Without hesitation and
ignoring attempts to restrain him, Chaplain Watters left the perimeter
three times in the face of small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar
fire to carry and to assist the injured troopers to safety.
Satisfied that all of the wounded were inside the perimeter, he began
aiding the medics . . . applying field bandages to open wounds,
obtaining and serving food and water, giving spiritual and mental
strength and comfort. During his ministering, he moved out to the
perimeter from position to position redistributing food and water, and
tending to the needs of his men. Chaplain Watters was giving aid
to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded. Chaplain
Watters' unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades
was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
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Chaplain Watters Page Subject Gallery
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Credits: |