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Historical records matching General John K. Waters Sr
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About General John K. Waters Sr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_K._Waters
John Knight Waters (December 20, 1906 – January 9, 1989) was a United States Army four-star general who served as commander, U.S. Army, Pacific from 1964 to 1966. He was also the son-in-law of General George S. Patton. During World War II, he was taken prisoner while fighting in Tunisia in 1943, leading Patton to set up the controversial Task Force Baum to break him out.
He first entered the halls of Boys' Latin in September 1914 along with his brother Arnold Jr., and became a twelve year Latinist. (John's younger brother Levin also graduated from BL.) John was a fine young man. His transcript reveals he was an excellent student and according to the school records he was the "finest type of boy. " The 1925 Maroon and White states that "Johnny was one of the finest all around classmates." For many years he stood at the head of the class and also displayed exceptional abilities on both the football and baseball fields. After BL, Waters attended the Johns Hopkins University for two years. However, yearning for a military life, he eventually transferred to the United States Military Academy and earned his commission in 1931 into the Calvary. His first year at West Point, he played on the plebe football team. He also played lacrosse while at West Point. In 1931 Waters was named captain of the Army lacrosse team. In 1934 he fell in love with and married Beatrice Patton, daughter of General George S. Patton. With the United States entrance into World War II, he was deployed to North Africa. He was a task force commander in the battle for Kasserine Pass where he was overrun by the German 10th Panzer Division and eventually captured in Tunisia at Dejebel Lassouda. He was taken prisoner by the Germans and imprisoned in a camp in Silesia in Poland, eventually landing in the German prisoner of war camp at Oflag XIII-B in Hammelburg. In 1945 he was shot by a German guard after attempting to escape. A Serbian physician also interned in the POW camp operated on Waters and saved his life. He was eventually freed a week or so after his escape attempt when his father-in-law General Patton and his Third Army liberated his POW camp in April of 1945. General Patton was heavily criticized because the force that helped liberate the camp – known as Task Force Baum - was under-staffed and under supplied and nearly wiped out. Many believe that Patton sent his men on a near suicide mission going 60 miles behind enemy lines to rescue the prisoners. Patton confronted the criticism stating he didn't know his son-in-law was even in the POW camp. Waters returned to active duty in 1946 first becoming Commandant of Cadets at West Point. He was later promoted to Brigadier General in 1952 when he was deployed to Korea as Chief of Staff for I Corps. It was while he was in Korea that General Waters learned of the death of his 42 year old wife Beatrice, who died of a heart attack near West Point. He also spent time as the commanding General for the 4th Armored Division and Commanding General for V Corps, both in Europe, as well as Commanding General for the Fifth Army in Chicago. Other assignments included Chief of the American Military Assistance Staff in Yugoslavia from 1955-1957 and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Material Developments, Fort Monroe, Virginia. He also commanded the army forces in Hawaii and retired as a four-star general, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Army, Pacific, on August 31, 1966. He won many major awards including the Distinguished Service Cross for actions leading fellow prisoners, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star with clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart with cluster, and the Korean Service Medal. He was also received the French Croix de Guerre with palm.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58853391
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58853391
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General John K. Waters Sr's Timeline
| 1906 |
December 20, 1906
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Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland
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| 1989 |
January 9, 1989
Age 82
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Walter Reed Army Medical Centera, Washington DC
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