WATTS, TSgt. James W. "Jim", WWII POW

WATTS, WILBUR

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 5/14/2013 at 00:01:25

The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Tuesday, March 31, 1942, Page 16

CLEAR LAKE BRIEFS

Jim WATTS left Tuesday for Des Moines for induction into the army. He has been employed by the Clear Lake Bank and Trust company nearly two years.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Thursday, May 07, 1942, Page 16

Southern Hospitality Shocks Jim Watts

Clear Lake, Pvt. Jim WATTS of Clear Lake, squad leader of Company I, 358th infantry, Camp Barkeley, Tex., was quite shocked to find his entire army equipment tied to his bed on his return to camp in the early hours Sunday morning. It seems that one of his southern tent mates was merely carrying out the proverbial "southern hospitality." Pvt. WATTS has made a number of friends in his new environment and can always find someone to help him dig a fox hole large enough to accommodate his excess weight.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, September 20, 1944, Page 4

Now in France

Mr. and Mrs. S. A. WATTS, North Shore, Clear Lake, received a letter Tuesday from their son, T/Sgt. James WATTS, stating that he is now in France. The letter was written Sept. 9. T/Sgt. WATTS said that the people in his section are poorly dressed and are wearing wooden shoes. The Germans had occupied the land 4 years and some of the towns are completely riddled. T/Sgt. WATTS was at Camp Carson, Colo., before going overseas.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, December 13, 1944, Page 16

T-SGT. JIM W. WATTS TAKEN
PRISONER in EUROPEAN AREA

Was in 104th, Timber Wolf, Division
With Gen. Terry Allen

Clear Lake - Mr. and Mrs. S. A. WATTS, North Shore, received the following message from the war department Tuesday afternoon:

"The commanding general of the European area reports that your son, T/Sgt. Jim W. WATTS, was captured by the enemy on Nov. 25. Mail address cannot be furnished until confirmation of capture is received through the International Red Cross. When additional information is received you will be promptly notified. Dunlop, the acting adjutant general."

T/Sgt. WATTS was with the 104th Timber Wolf division, under Gen. Terry Allen. He entered service March 31, 1942, and trained at Camp Barkeley, Texas, and Camp Adair, Ore., before being sent to Camp Hyder, Ariz., and later to camp Horn, Ariz., where he was in charge of an infantry platoon. He was at Camp Carson, Colo., last May and went overseas in August, landing in France. His unit had fought its way through Belgium and Holland and into Germany. The last letter received from him was dated Nov. 19.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Wednesday, March 16, 1944, Page 4

CLEAR LAKE BRIEFS

Mr. and Mrs. S. A. WATTS have received word indirectly from their son, T/Sgt. James WATTS, who was reported missing in action last Nov. 26 and later as a prisoner of war in Germany. They have now received a letter from a friend of their son who had a card from him dated Dec. 2. He said that he was in good health and to be transported in a few days. He said "Don't write. Wait for new address." The card was received this week.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
May 21, 1945, Page 7

Writes From Europe

Mr. and Mrs. S. A. WATTS, North Shore, Clear Lake, received a letter Monday morning from their son, T/Sgt. Jim W. WATTS, who has been a prisoner of war in Germany since Nov. 26, 1944, stating that he has been released.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
July 02, 1945, Page 7

Arrives Home

T/Sgt. James WATTS, Clear Lake, who became a prisoner of war in Germany last Nov. 26 and was liberated by the Russians April 22, arrived home Saturday evening via New York city and Jefferson Barracks, Mo. He reports back Sept. 11. T/Sgt. WATTS said that after being liberated by the Russians the men in his camp waited 2 weeks for something to happen but no help appeared so they set out and walked to the American lines. From there he was flown to England for hospitalization. Since becoming a prisoner of war, T/Sgt. WATTS had received no word from his parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. A. WATTS, Clear Lake, and they had but very meager news from him although he had written often. His father, who has been seriously ill for some time, is now showing improvement.

NOTE: T/Sgt. WATTS' father, Shirley A. WATTS, aged 64 years, died July 23, 1945 that from complications following a stroke. T/Sgt. WATTS was an only child.
~ Globe-Gazette July 24, 1945

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
September 25, 1945, Page 3

CLEAR LAKE BRIEFS

Mrs. S. A. WATTS has received word that her son, James WATTS, has been advanced in rank from technical to master sergeant and sent from Hot Springs, Ark., where he spent 2 weeks at a rest camp, to Fort Ord, Cal. His wife, Sgt. Mary WATTS of the marines, was with him a few days at Hot Springs before reporting at San Francisco, Cal.

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The Globe Gazette
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
April 25, 1946, Page 14

CLEAR LAKE BRIEFS

Mr. and Mrs. James WATTS are the parents of a 5-pound son born Thursday morning at Mercy hospital, Mason City. He is the first child in the family and the first grandchild of Mrs. Shirley A. WATTS, North Shore. Mrs. WATTS was Mary WILBUR, Portland, Ore., before her marriage.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2013

Cerro Gordo Biographies maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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