Robert Stanley Watt
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Marines
WATT, Robert Stanley
Robert Stanley Watt was born in Duluth, Minnesota on August 20th 1920, the son of Stanley James & Elise Maria [Perry] Watt.
Mr. Watt entered the U.S. Marine Corps on May 10th 1942, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He served in World War II in the Pacific Theater.
He served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a flight engineer, and air mechanic from June 1942 until December 5th 1945. He was assigned to the Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron (VMSB-VMTB) 232, “Red Devil” Squadron, Marine Aviation. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant (SSGT)
SGT Watt went to boot camp in San Diego, then to aviation school in Jacksonville, Florida, where he graduated from metalsmith school in February 1943. He returned to San Diego and was assigned to Marine Torpedo Bombing Squadron 232 in El Toro, California.
He participated in the Bougainville Campaign (Solomon Islands). For 31 consecutive days, his unit was under Japanese attack from the air and land. During this time, his unit monitored American aircraft for bombing raids on nearby islands. For this, his squadron received the Presidential Citation.
SGT Watt himself was an airplane mechanic, working with engines, landing gear, wings, and other parts to “keep the aircraft flying.” After making any major repair, he was required to go on test flights with the pilots to make certain all was well. Subsequently, Mr. Watt returned to the United States for a furlough.
He was temporarily assigned to Squadron #143 at Santa Barbara, then was again assigned to Squadron #232 and in late December 1944, his unit went to Guam, Saipan, and Tinian. When the Enola Gay left Tinian to bomb Japan, the service members were alerted and were issued gas masks.
He returned to the United States and was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant on December 5th 1945.
SGT Watt erned the following merits for his service:
- Presidential Citation,
- Four Bronze Stars,
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal,
- South Pacific Ribbon,
- Good Conduct Ribbon, -and-
- South Pacific Ribbon.
After the war he returned home and married Margaret Carol [Erickson] of Duluth August 3rd 1946 and they started a family.
He continued to stay active in military affairs working for the Air National Guard and acive in the American Legion Post 71 and a life member of V.F.W. Post 6320 which is now Post 137.
Mr. Watt died on October 31st 2013 at the age of 93 years. He is buried at Sunrise Memorial Park Cemetery in Hermantown, Minnesota.
Source: Veterans’ Memorial Hall Veteran History Form; veteran’s account (see above); original Veterans’ Memorial Hall website entry (see below)
Robert Stanley Watt, U.S. Marine Corps. Enlisted in May 1942, and was called up in June 1942. Went to Minneapolis and stayed in a bug-infested hotel with two others from Duluth (George Wolff and Gordon Pond).
Sent to San Diego for boot training and then to aviation school in Jacksonville, Florida, graduating in February 1943 from Metalsmith School. Was number 25 in a class of 60. Back to San Diego and was then assigned to VMTB Squadron 2323 Red Devils at El Toro (California).
Left for overseas in July 1943, with a stop in Hawaii first on the S.S. Japara, a Dutch ship with tar decks and a large canvas sock for air to the decks below. Three of us decided to sleep on deck rather than get up at 4:00 a.m. Our breakfast was a roll and powdered eggs, and lunch was powdered egg soup almost every day on the ship. The trip to Noumea, New Caledonia, took 31 days, and some fellow Marines were sick the whole time.
From Noumea to Espirito Santo, August 3rd 1943, until December 20th 1943, then to Guadalcanal, December 22nd 1943. From the Canal to Munda, December 28th 1943, and at that time they were bombing Munda, so we stayed out to sea on the USS LCI(G)-61 until morning. We left Munda on the USS LCI(L)-360, January 18th 1944, for Bougainville.
While in Bougainville, we were under fire from the air and from the hills for 31 days straight, while monitoring our aircraft for bombing raids on other islands. For this, our squadron 232 received the Presidential Citation. During this time, I was involved in engine-landing gear, wing, and plane parts to keep the aircraft flying, so any major repairs, I was required to go on test hops with the pilots, with flight pay.
We did a few fun things also, such as dump used oil on the island of Rota, making rice paddies and fishing unusable. The foothold on Bougainville was very small (two to three miles wide and one mile long). The landing strip was coral and did not use landing lights at night. At this time, there were some 40,000 Japs on the island.
I left Bougainville on May 6th 1944, on the ship Mormac Dove to Espirito Santo on May 13, 1944. Then on the ship Robin Dorcaster for San Francisco. The ship had many wounded and some mental patients, so we were put on guard duty for the whole trip, arriving in Frisco, October 21st 1944.
I then had my first furlough in 18 months, thus I had 30 days at home. Went back to El Toro with my friend Don Smith from Doland, South Dakota, whose brother was our C.O. of VMTB 232. (Don Smith was later killed in a plane crash in California. We lost eight men in three planes that day.) I was then assigned to take Don Smith’s body home for burial in December 1944.
Funeral was Christmas Day, 1944. Back to El Toro, but was then assigned to a new squadron #143 at Santa Barbara for a short time, then back to the #232 for a second trip overseas at end of December, 1944. Went to Guam, Saipan, and Tinian, where the A-bomb took off and was dropped on August 6, 1945. We were all alerted and issued gas masks.
During this trip, the squadron was mostly on patrol duty, so had time to spare. We formed a basketball team of ten, and we flew to several islands to play teams. The VMTB 232nd lost forty-nine Marines and seventeen aircraft. War was over on August 25th 1945, and left to Tinian, and to Guam, and sailed home to U.S.A., November 15th 1945. Landed in Frisco and to Miramac for discharge, December 5th 1945.
After four years of service, Mr. Watt retired as Marine Staff Sergeant and was awarded with the following: four Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, South Pacific Ribbon, and Presidential Unit Citation.
Mr. Watt was honorably discharged on December 5th 1945, at San Diego, California.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, 367.
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Page 1 WWII Draft Registration Cards - Fold3
Robert Stanley “Bob” Watt (1920-2013) - Find a Grave Memorial
