Chaplain Charles Joseph Watters (1927-1967)

Military chaplains, clergy in uniform, are commissioned officers to provide a spiritual ministry to America’s armed forces and their families wherever our military are serving. Chaplains are non-combatants. They are not required to carry weapons. Military chaplains, both men and woman, are college and seminary graduates who have ministry experience and are endorsed by their respective denominations, and who meet the physical and age requirement of military service.

Chaplains are deployed to serve our men and women in uniform during peacetime and during wartime. They are subjected to the same dangers as all other in the units. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, hundreds of chaplains served in Vietnam. This writer was one of those chaplains. 

Chaplain (Maj.) Charles Joseph Watters, a Roman Catholic airborne chaplain, served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in 1967, and was killed in action as he ministered to his men. He was awarded a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor on Nov. 4, 1969, in a ceremony at the White House. Here is the citation: 

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Chaplain Watters distinguished himself during an assault in the vicinity of Dak To. Chaplain Watters was moving with one of the companies when it engaged a heavily armed enemy battalion. As the battle raged and casualties mounted, Chaplain Watters, with complete disregard for his safety, rushed forward to the line of contact. Unarmed and completely exposed, he moved among, as well as in front, of the advancing troops, giving aid to the wounded, assisting in their evacuation, giving words of encouragement, and administering the last rites of the dying. When a wounded paratrooper was standing in shock in front of the assaulting forces, Chaplain Watters, ran forward, picked the man up on his shoulders and carried him to safety. As the troopers battled to the first entrenchment, Chaplain Watters ran through the intense enemy fire to the front of the entrenchment to aid a fallen comrade. A short time later, the paratroopers pulled back in preparation for a second assault. Chaplain Watters exposed himself to both friendly and enemy fire between the two forces in order to recover two wounded soldiers. Later, when the battalion was forced to pull back into a perimeter. Without hesitation and ignoring attempts to restrain him, Chaplain Watters left the perimeter three times in the face of small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire to carry and to assist the wounded troopers to safety. Satisfied that all of the wounded were inside the perimeter, he began aiding medics … applying field bandages to open wounds, obtaining and serving food and water, giving spiritual and mental strength and comfort. During his ministering, he moved out to the perimeter from position redistributing food and water, and tending to the needs of his men. Chaplain Watters was giving aid to the wounded when he himself was mortally wounded. Chaplain Watters’ unyielding perseverance and selfless devotion to his comrades was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.”

Pray daily for our military men and women. They are keeping America safe and free.

Peace!