Biographies Archives

William Wallace Watson II

By Margaret Tifft Janis | February 28, 2024

William Wallace Watson II (1911–1944), was a brilliant young lawyer with a bright future. He was born in China, and spoke Mandarin and became a naval intelligence officer during WWII. He was traveling to U.S. Embassy in Chunking, China in June 1944, when he was killed in a mystifying plane crash in southern China. This is his story.

P. Theodore Watson: A Navy Doctor’s Experience at Iwo Jima

By Margaret Tifft Janis | April 7, 2025

P. Theodore (Ted) Watson was 26 when he served as doctor on a hospital ship during the Battle of Iwo Jima. This is a letter about his experiences, written on his ship a day after leaving the battle.