Charles J. Watters facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Joseph Watters
Major Charles J. Watters
Born	(1927-01-17)January 17, 1927 Jersey City, New Jersey, US
Died	November 19, 1967(1967-11-19) (aged 40) near Đắk Tô, Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	Air National Guard United States Army
Years of service	1962–1964 (ANG) 1964–1967 (USA)
Rank	Major
Unit	Army Chaplain Corps 173rd Support Battalion
Battles/wars	Vietnam War Operation Junction City Battle of Dak To  †
Awards	Medal of Honor Bronze Star Purple Heart Air Medal

Charles Joseph Watters (January 17, 1927 – November 19, 1967) was a chaplain (major) in the United States Army and Roman Catholic priest. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery exhibited while rescuing wounded men in the Vietnam War's Battle of Dak To.

Born in 1927, Watters joined the Air National Guard in 1962. He left the Guard in 1964 to join the Chaplain Corps, and embarked on his first tour in Vietnam, taking part in Operation Junction City and earning medals during the tour. On an extension of his tour, during the Battle of Dak To, Watters rescued many wounded men from enemy fire, but was killed by a friendly bomb strike from an American bomber.

Biography

Grave at Arlington National Cemetery

Charles Joseph Watters was born on January 17, 1927, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Watters attended Seton Hall Preparatory School and went on to graduate from Seton Hall University. He was ordained as a priest in 1953 for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark and served in parishes in Jersey City, Rutherford, Paramus, and Cranford, New Jersey.

Watters was an active private pilot, flying small single-engine planes as far as Argentina. In 1962, Watters became a chaplain with the New Jersey Air National Guard. In 1964, he entered active duty as a chaplain with the U.S. Army. He began his first 12-month tour of duty in Vietnam on July 5, 1966. During his first tour, he was awarded the Air Medal and a Bronze Star for Valor. At the end of his first twelve months, in July 1967, he voluntarily extended his tour for an additional six months.

Chaplain Watters also made the parachute drop in Operation Junction City on 22 February 1967.

On November 19, 1967, Chaplain Watters' unit was involved in close combat with the enemy in the vicinity of Đắk Tô. For his "conspicuous gallantry ... unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades" on that day, Chaplain Watters was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by Vice President Spiro Agnew in a ceremony that also honored John Andrew Barnes III and Robert F. Stryker. Watters is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

In memory

The name Charles Joseph Watters is inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ("The Wall") on Panel 30E, Row 036.

The bridge on Route 3 in New Jersey spanning the Passaic River between Clifton and Rutherford has been named in honor of Chaplain Watters.

Public School No. 24 in Jersey City was named after him in the 1980s.

Chaplain Charles J Watters Center in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The Seton Hall University Army ROTC Ranger Challenge team is named the Charlie Watters Ranger Company.

At the Roman Catholic Church of the Epiphany in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, there is a rose garden dedicated in memory of Watters. There is a memorial plaque located in the center of the garden. It was organized and constructed in the late 1990s by classmate and friend, Fr. Thomas Olsen, then pastor of Epiphany Church.

Watters Chaplain Family Life Training Center on Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

There is a memorial located at St. Michael's Church in Cranford, NJ commemorating his service to the parish and receiving the Medal of Honor.

Awards and decorations

During his service, Watters was awarded the following awards and decorations;

He also earned the following unit awards;

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
• Chaplain Corps (United States Army)
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA