WILLIAM A. WATSON, LT, USN

William Watson '26

Date of birth: November 16, 1903

Date of death: October 2, 1930

Age: 26

Lucky Bag

From the 1926 Lucky Bag:

William Allison Watson

Savannah, Tennessee

"Phillies" "Wats"

MIDSHIPMAN WATSON, W.A., sir, of Tennessee," You didn't need that last word—he advertises it. A fear-inspiring grin, millions of teeth, and a gait like a truck-horse; and say! you know the type of chap who is forever springing clever little lines, snappy jokes, and all kinds of wise cracks? Well, he's one of 'em. Any time you come 'round he'd gladly introduce you to some of his practical demonstrations. Say! that's not all; he's a two-dollar Sheik, if ever there was one, and he's forever sobbing because he was born beautiful instead of rich. "Oh, Lady Lou! Gaze on the above work of art. I'll guarantee that the photographer chappie did his best to make him presentable, but of all the hopeless tasks!" I'm at home to callers bent on congratulating me for my forbearance and control in not having heaved him over the sea-wall long since. Describe him? Oh, I couldn't! 'Twould be too heartless, and after all he's been a good foil these three years past. I'll be charitable.

We won't speak of dancing (he calls it that) because if you're a girl it would break your heart, and if you're a man you'd split your sides. I leave you in pleasant contemplation of the rugged and inspiringly handsome features of this naval officer extraordinary.

"Sound Taps, boys, for Heaven's sakes!"

Lucky Bag.

William Allison Watson

Savannah, Tennessee

"Phillies" "Wats"

MIDSHIPMAN WATSON, W.A., sir, of Tennessee," You didn't need that last word—he advertises it. A fear-inspiring grin, millions of teeth, and a gait like a truck-horse; and say! you know the type of chap who is forever springing clever little lines, snappy jokes, and all kinds of wise cracks? Well, he's one of 'em. Any time you come 'round he'd gladly introduce you to some of his practical demonstrations. Say! that's not all; he's a two-dollar Sheik, if ever there was one, and he's forever sobbing because he was born beautiful instead of rich. "Oh, Lady Lou! Gaze on the above work of art. I'll guarantee that the photographer chappie did his best to make him presentable, but of all the hopeless tasks!" I'm at home to callers bent on congratulating me for my forbearance and control in not having heaved him over the sea-wall long since. Describe him? Oh, I couldn't! 'Twould be too heartless, and after all he's been a good foil these three years past. I'll be charitable.

We won't speak of dancing (he calls it that) because if you're a girl it would break your heart, and if you're a man you'd split your sides. I leave you in pleasant contemplation of the rugged and inspiringly handsome features of this naval officer extraordinary.

"Sound Taps, boys, for Heaven's sakes!"

Lucky Bag.

Loss

William was lost on October 2, 1930 when the airplane he was piloting crashed near Cape Charles, Virginia.

Other Information

From Find A Grave:

Ensign W. A. Watson, USN, was designated Naval Aviator #3491 in 1929. Graduated U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1926.
Lieut. (Junior Grade) Watson was killed when his two-place land-based scouting aircraft crashed near Cape Charles, Va., during fleet exercises. The aircraft reportedly had a wing come apart while in a dive. Watson's observer safely jumped prior to the aircraft impacting the ground.
LTJG Watson was assigned to the cruiser USS CONCORD at the time of the accident. He was not married.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

William served during the Sandino rebellion in Nicaragua, and his plane was shot down by rebel gunners. He escaped by parachute, but his machine gunner was killed.
He was survived by his father Arthur, a judge, mother Jessie, brother J. Montague, and a sister Mrs. Mary Rose Mitchell of Nashville.

He is buried in Tennessee.

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.