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Personal info

Full name
WATKINS, Joseph M
Date of birth
12 March 1922
Age
22
Place of birth
Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Hometown
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Military service

Service number
7021450
Rank
Private First Class
Function
unknown
Unit
F Company,
2nd Battalion,
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment,
101st Airborne Division
Awards
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster

Death

Status
Died of Wounds
Date of death
23 September 1944
Place of death
Leopoldsburg, Belgium

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Henri-Chapelle
Plot Row Grave
G 8 17

Immediate family

Members
Harry W. Watkins (father)
Eleanor F. (McCrohan) Watkins (mother)
Edward F. Watkins (brother)
George Watkins (brother)
Harry Watkins (brother)

More information

Pfc Joseph M. Watkins joined the Regular Army on 11 January 1940.
He was severely wounded by shell fragments during Operation Market Garden in the vicinity of Veghel, Holland on 22 September. He died a day later in the 24th Evacuation Hospital, that was stationed in Leopoldsburg, Belgium.

He was buried the same day at the Temporary American Military Cemetery at Fosse, Belgium. He was disinterred on 19 August 1948 and his remains were prepared and placed in a transfer box on 24 August 1948. He was given his final resting place at Henri-Chapelle on 24 November 1948.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Peter Schouteten, Marc van den Berkmortel, Terry Hirsch, Astrid van Erp, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com – Orville L. Kline, www.archives.gov – WWII Enlistment Record, www.ww2-airborne.us, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Veteran Compensation Application Files / 1940 Census / GenealogyBank Obituaries, IDPF

Photo source: Peter Schouteten, http://dday-overlord.com, www.newspapers.com - The Philadelphia Inquirer