Watters Dawson E.

Name:

Dawson E. Watters

Rank:

First Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-810270

Unit:

863rd Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group (Heavy)

Date of Death:

1944-09-12

State:

Kentucky

Cemetery:

Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium

Plot:

A

Row:

15

Grave:

13

Decoration:

Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

Comments:

Dawson E. Watters was born in 1921. He was the son of Ralph Leslie Watters and Adaline Alice Dawson Watters.

Dawson served in the 863rd Bomber Squadron, 493rd Bomber Group, Heavy, as a First Lieutenant and Co-Pilot on the B-17 43-38295 during World War II. He was Killed in Action on September 12, 1944, when his airplane was shot down by an enemy aircraft and crashed at Aderstedt, north of Halberstadt, Germany. As a result of the crash, 4 of the crew members were killed while five members were taken as prisoners

1Lt Watters is now buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupré, Belgium.

B-17 #43-38295 crew:
Pilot: Charles Spencer (KIA)
Co-pilot: Dawson Watters (KIA)
Ball turret gunner: Norman Carter (KIA)
Tail gunner: Vernon Van Dinter (KIA)
Navigator: Harold Leibowitz (POW)
Bombardier: Samuel Cale (POW)
Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Eugene Pax (POW)
Radio Operator: Robert Bodwell (POW)
Waist gunner: Buford Balay

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.americanairmuseum.com, www.abmc.gov