God Bless Father Charles Watters

[NorwichDad]

I grew up on quiet tree lined street in Cranford, NJ in the 1960s and 70s. There were about 30 houses of which there were about 25 WW2 vets and 2 WW1 vets. My father and another are the only ones left. These men and their wives really took care of all of the 50 plus kids on the street as if they were all their own. It is sad that most are now gone. Once in a while some of these men would talk about the humor and sermons of a priest who served at our church in the mid 60s. He left our church when I was 3 so I don't remember him. These men would also tell us about Fr Watters joining the 173rd Airborne and leaving for Vietnam. After a full year he volunteered for an additional 6 months. Unarmed during an assault at Dak To, he continuosly pulled wounded to safety during an intense firefight. He even pulled some from outside the perimeter. As he was aiding a wounded soldier he was killed. For his actions he was awarded the MOH.

God Bless and Thank You Fr Watters. You are not forgotten.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_J._Watters

 

[bruno]

Thanks Norwich dad- It's important that we never forget our heroes like Chaplain Watters:
John 15-13:"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

"Chaplain Watters' unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army."

Another example of heroism in the Chaplain's Corps comes from WW2 and the story of the 4 Chaplains: http://www.fourchaplains.org/story.html

 

[NorwichDad]

Thanks Bruno

Here's one at my old church, I now live in another town. They have a large granite memorial in front of the church now. It's a great community and was a great place to grow up.

http://www.preservecranford.com/Chaplain Major Charles J Watters.htm

 

[NorwichDad]

Thanks NorwichDad-
You made me think about my own childhood going home to the family farm in Rural PA.

I grew up being told about the likes of William S. Sitman, My father new his younger brothers well and is still close to the Sitman Family. Every time we made it down to Logan Valley to pay our respects to family, we would make our way over to his grave.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_S._Sitman
http://www.homeofheroes.com/gravesites/states/pages_pz/sitman_william.html

The Second, I actually got to know thanks to my Grandfather. His name was Robert E. Laws. They were good friends who would share memories that at times seemed meant just for them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Laws
http://www.pngmilitarymuseum.org/pa_monuments/blair.html

These were great men. Thank You for the post. I still find it amazing how these men found what it took within themselves to do these unbelievable things. From what I seen of men like Sitman and Laws, they did it for their country, buddies and their family. I now realize they also did it for all of the world.

Thank You William S. Sitman and Robert Laws for safety and freedom we have always known.