Major Charles Joseph Watters- Medal of Honor

Charles Watters was born January 17, 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He graduated from Seton Hall University and became an ordained Catholic priest. He served in several parishes around New Jersey until he joined the New Jersey Air National Guard in 1962 as a chaplain.. He was also an accomplished private pilot. In 1964, he entered active duty as a chaplain with the U.S Army, serving in the 173rd Support Battalion attached to the 173rd Airborne.

By June, 1966, he had become a Major and started his first year-long tour of Vietnam. He always wanted to be at the front, with the men who were fighting. That is where he believed his place to serve was. If a unit was rotated to the rear or out of combat, he would find another unit that was moving to the front and join them. During this tour, he earned an Air Medal and a Bronze Star w/V. He took part, and indeed joined the men and jumped as part of Operation Junction City, which turned out to be the only combat jump during the war. Those he served with loved him for that. They knew he was willing to do whatever it took and even risk his life with them.

When that tour ended, he extended for another six months. It was during this tour that the Battle of Dak To, a series of battles that took place from November 3 to November 27, 1967. This major set of battles caused over 1800 U.S. casualties, including 361 KIA and 15 MIA. It also included one of the worst friendly fire incidents of the war. That incident claimed 42 lives, including Major Watters.

A very underestimated NVA force was holding hill 875 on the morning of November 19. That force turned out to be 2000 strong. The 2/503 of the 173rd sent 3 companies to take the hill. Those three companies were represented by 330 men. When hell broke loose, Major Watters continuously rushed outside the perimeter rescuing injured men, helping medics, delivering food and water, giving comfort and reading last rites to many men. All of this during intense fire from the enemy and against the wishes of those fighting around him.

Near dark, as they were close to being overrun, close airstrikes and artillery were called in. During one of these airstrikes, two 500 pound bombs were dropped toward the perimeter, one of them hit the top of a tree near the center of the 173rd's position. This position contained the command group, the injured and the medics. Shrapnel killed 42 men in the immediate area, including Watters, who was there giving aid.

For his actions that day, Major Charles Watters was given the Medal of Honor. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Chaplain Watters distinguished himself during an assault in the vicinity of Dak To. Chaplain Watters was moving with one of the companies when it engaged a heavily armed enemy battalion. As the battle raged and the casualties mounted, Chaplain Watters, with complete disregard for his safety, rushed forward to the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, he moved among, as well as in front of the advancing troops, giving aid to the wounded, assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement, and administering the last rites to the dying. When a wounded paratrooper was standing in shock in front of the assaulting forces, Chaplain Watters ran forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and carried him to safety. As the troopers battled to the first enemy entrenchment, Chaplain Watters ran through the intense enemy fire to the front of the entrenchment to aid a fallen comrade. A short time later, the paratroopers pulled back in preparation for a second assault. Chaplain Watters exposed himself to both friendly and enemy fire between the two forces in order to recover two wounded soldiers. Later, when the battalion was forced to pull back into a perimeter, Chaplain Watters noticed that several wounded soldiers were lying outside the newly formed perimeter. Without hesitation and ignoring attempts to restrain him, Chaplain Watters left the perimeter three times in the face of small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire to carry and to assist the injured troopers to safety. Satisfied that all of the wounded were inside the perimeter, he began aiding the medics ... applying field bandages to open wounds, obtaining and serving food and water, giving spiritual and mental strength and comfort. During his ministering, he moved out to the perimeter from position to position redistributing food and water, and tending to the needs of his men. Chaplain Watters was giving aid to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded. Chaplain Watters' unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army. 

To say that Watters was a man who cared for those around him is an incredible understatement. The men who served with him loved him and respected him deeply. Not only because he would jump out of a plane with them or run into battle with them, or repeatedly risk his life to save theirs, but also because they knew that he loved and respected them deeply. He lived his life in such a way as to show everyone he knew, that love came first. He loved them. He did all he could do for them, which was well beyond what anyone would ask of someone. He did it without being asked. He just, did it!

Let us never forget this man or those he served and died with. They lived and died so that others may live and die in a world, hopefully, more peaceful than what they died in.