Charles E. Waters
Charles Edward Waters
US Army
PFC
34378536
776 Amphibious Tank Battalion, 7th Infantry Division
Born October 7, 1920 to William Clinton and Bertha Elizabeth Hamby Waters, Sutherland, TN
Died May 14, 1945
Waters, who worked fo the Ameican Cyanamid Company Beaverworks in Damascus, VA enlisted in the Army the later part of 1941 - he was 21 years old.
He was assigned to the 776th Amphibious Tank Battalion and sent overseas to the Pacific. As the was was coming in an end, the Allied troops made the final push to Japan's home islands - the Ryuku Islands, which included Okinawa. On April 1, 1945, Operation Iceberg began - the purpose was to invade and occupy the Islands.
Torrential rains, dense foliage, hills and trees created a difficult situation. Over 180,000 troops plus the Navy's 5th Fleet same ashore and oddly enough met minimal resistance and secured the two airfields. However, the Japanese were deeply embedded in caves and foxholes and just waiting for the Allies to get closer.
Fighting was fierce and by the time Shuri Castle was taken in May, the casualties were staggering. 12,520 American troops were killed in the Battle of Okinawa to include PFC Waters.
Waters received the Purple Heart and was initially buried in tghe Ojinawa Island Cemetery, Ryukyu Retto and then moved to the Honolulu, HI Memorial site.
US Army
PFC
34378536
776 Amphibious Tank Battalion, 7th Infantry Division
Born October 7, 1920 to William Clinton and Bertha Elizabeth Hamby Waters, Sutherland, TN
Died May 14, 1945
Waters, who worked fo the Ameican Cyanamid Company Beaverworks in Damascus, VA enlisted in the Army the later part of 1941 - he was 21 years old.
He was assigned to the 776th Amphibious Tank Battalion and sent overseas to the Pacific. As the was was coming in an end, the Allied troops made the final push to Japan's home islands - the Ryuku Islands, which included Okinawa. On April 1, 1945, Operation Iceberg began - the purpose was to invade and occupy the Islands.
Torrential rains, dense foliage, hills and trees created a difficult situation. Over 180,000 troops plus the Navy's 5th Fleet same ashore and oddly enough met minimal resistance and secured the two airfields. However, the Japanese were deeply embedded in caves and foxholes and just waiting for the Allies to get closer.
Fighting was fierce and by the time Shuri Castle was taken in May, the casualties were staggering. 12,520 American troops were killed in the Battle of Okinawa to include PFC Waters.
Waters received the Purple Heart and was initially buried in tghe Ojinawa Island Cemetery, Ryukyu Retto and then moved to the Honolulu, HI Memorial site.
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776th Amphibious Tank patch
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tank of the 7767th Amphibious Tank Battalion
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