WATSON, James E.

JAMES E. WATSON

Mess Attendant Second Class · Plankowner, USS Silversides (SS-236)

Born / Died	10 Aug 1918, Wilson, NC / 6 Aug 1988
Service no.	262-44-14
Commissioning rate	Matt2c (15 Dec 1941)
Silversides tenure	15 Dec 1941 – 17 Apr 1942
Patrols aboard	0 (departed before patrol 1)
Other vessels	Fulton
Service	17 Nov 1939 – 22 Dec 1945 (BIRLS)

Prewar (1918–1941)

James Watson was born in Wilson, North Carolina, on 10 August 1918. His postwar compliance card names his uncle, Willie Currie, as next of kin and gives his uncle’s address, 304 East Walnut Street in Wilson, as the address it was filed from. No census record for him before 1950 has been found. He enlisted in the Navy on 17 November 1939, at twenty-one.

On Silversides (Dec 1941 – Apr 1942)

Watson commissioned aboard *Silversides* on 15 December 1941 as a Mess Attendant Second Class. In mid-April 1942 he left for the submarine tender Fulton, less than two weeks before Silversides sailed on her first war patrol, and made none.

Patrol	Dates	CO	Credited sunk	Credited damaged
none

Later War (1942–1945)

His wartime service after Fulton has not yet been traced. BIRLS gives his discharge as 22 December 1945.

Postwar (1945–1988)

The 1950 census finds him in Los Angeles, working as a street cleaner for the city’s Public Works department, with his wife Beatrice (30). No children were in the household. He died on 6 August 1988, and BIRLS confirms the date.

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Research Notes

• Departure date: the frontmatter says 17 Apr 1942; the file note says he was transferred to Fulton on 18 Apr 1942. One may be the departure and the other the receipt. verify against the muster.

• Name: read from the compliance card as James Elighe Watson. verify the spelling of the middle name.

• Rate: “Matt2c” is read here as Mess Attendant Second Class. verify

• Open: census before 1950, parents, wartime service after Fulton, OMPF.

• Source notes (carried over, verbatim):

  1950 Census James E. Watson (31) and Beatrice (30). No children present. James is listed as street cleaner for the City Public Works.

  Research Notes
  James Elighe Watson. Transferred to the Fulton 18APR42. Postwar compliance card. Born 10AUG18 in Wilson NC. NoK: Willie Currie (Uncle). Filed from 304 E Walnut St in Wilson, his Uncle’s address. Died 6 AUG 88. Street Cleaner for the City of LA in 1950. BIRLS confirms. Navy 17NOV39 - 22DEC45.

Sources: postwar compliance card; BIRLS; 1950 census; Silversides muster.