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Personal info

Full name
WATSON, Earl Eugene
Date of birth
5 January 1918
Age
26
Place of birth
Knox, Benson County, North Dakota
Hometown
Oakland, Alameda County, California

Military service

Service number
39084813
Rank
Private First Class
Function
unknown
Unit
C Company,
111th Engineer Combat Battalion,
36th Infantry Division
Awards
Bronze Star,
Purple Heart

Death

Status
Died of Wounds
Date of death
26 December 1944
Place of death
Ribeauvillé, France

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Epinal
Plot Row Grave
B 38 32

Immediate family

Members
James W. Watson (father)
Dellie F. (Fisher) Watson (mother)
Willie M. Watson (sister)
Flossie E. Watson (sister)
Ina C. Watson (sister)
Kenneth J. Watson (brother)

More information

Pfc Earl E. Watson was a telephone operator at the Western Electric Company before he enlisted in Sacramento, California on 17 November 1941.

The After Action Report of his unit contains the following about what happened on that tragic day: Beginning at 0500 hours, 18 December, the enemy directed heavy artillery upon the village of Ribeauvillé at 0800 hours a 210 millimeter shell struck in the are occupied by Company C, demolishing the side of the building in which part of the company was billeted as well as completely destroying one 1/4 ton trailer and badly damaging a second trailer. Four resultant casualties were sustained by the company. Sgt James A. Glenn, (wounded) T/4 Albert Coker (wounded), Pfc Philip DiCarlo (wounded and died from his wounds on 20 December) and Earl E. Watson who suffered a serious head wound which resulted in his death on 26 December in a hospital.

Source of information: Peter Schouteten, www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov, https://36th-id.frb.io, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / WWII Draft Cards Young Men / Cook Family Tree, www.findagrave.com – Coleman 

Photo source: www.findagrave.com