This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Cory Butterfield, AO1
to remember
Watson, Richard G., Jr. (Dick), LTJG.
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Contact Info
Home Town Wenham
Last Address Lakeside Manor,Apt.323 Reno,NV
Date of Passing Jan 17, 2022
Location of Interment Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (VA) - San Diego, California
I am enjolying retirement with family and friends.
Other Comments:
My Naval Assignments have included many reserve squadrons that are not listed in the matrix. They are as follows:
VP-907, Plankowner, commissioned July 4, 1946 and redesignated VP-ML-57 on November 15, 1946. In February 1950, the unit was redesignated to VP-871 at which time I transferred back to active duty in February 1951. The unit was redesignated VP-19 in February 1953.
I was subsequently transferred from VP-871 to VR-5, Moffet Field, CA in September 1952 and remained there until December 1954, upon going to the active reserve with VP-871 until 1957. I was then transferred to ZP-871 (Blimp Squadron) as A/C Maintenence Officer from 1958-1960 and went inactive in 1960.
I am a qualified Flight Engineer in the following aircraft:PBY-5& 5A,PB2Y-3,PB4Y-2,R6D-1,PV-2,and the R6V.While in VR-5 I recieved a FAA Flight Engineers License and a FAA A&E license.I had already gotten my pilots license in 1949.
On November 7 2007 I was honored to be inducted into the Combat Aircrew Roll of honor on the USS Yorktown
CV 10.
Description As 1951 drew to a close, a lull had settled over the battlefield. Fighting tapered off to a routine of patrol clashes, raids, and bitter small-unit struggles for key outpost positions. The lull resulted from Ridgway's decision to halt offensive operations in Korea, because the cost of major assaults on the enemy's defenses would be more than the results could justify. Furthermore, the possibility of an armistice agreement emerging from the recently reopened talks ruled out the mounting of any large-scale offensive by either side. On 21 November Ridgway ordered the Eighth Army to cease offensive operations and begin an active defense of its front. Attacks were limited to those necessary to strengthen the main line of resistance and to establish an adequate outpost line.
In the third week of December the U.S. 45th Division, the first National Guard division to fight in Korea, replaced the 1st Cavalry Division in the I Corps sector north of Seoul. The 1st Cavalry Division returned to Japan.
In the air, U.N. bombers and fighter-bombers continued the interdiction campaign (Operation STRANGLE, which the Far East Air Forces had begun on 15 August 1951) against railroad tracks, bridges, and highway traffic. At sea, naval units of nine nations tightened their blockade around the coastline of North Korea. Carrier-based planes blasted railroads, bridges, and boxcars, and destroyers bombarded enemy gun emplacements and supply depots. On the ground, the 155-mile front remained generally quiet in the opening days of 1952. Later in January the Eighth Army opened a month-long artillery-air campaign against enemy positions, which forced the enemy to dig in deeply. During March and April Van Fleet shifted his units along the front to give the ROK Army a greater share in defending the battle line and to concentrate American fire power in the vulnerable western sector.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
November / 1951
To Month/Year
April / 1952
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember LCDR Loze,LT.Manning,T.P.Phillips,AMM3c,Tom Degnan,ARM1c,J.Stuckey AET 3c
Memories In March of 1951,my squadron,VP-871 received 12 PB4Y-2's from Litchfield Park storage area.We trained and rebuilt the airplanes at NAS Oaklnd until April 1951 at which time we were transferred to NAS Sand Point,WA for operational training.We lost one aircraft with all hands lost, on a mine laying exercise off Whidbey Island in August of 1951.In November 1951 we were transferred to NAS North Island for our OER.We started deploying to Japan,NAS Atsugi the latter part of Nov and were attached TAD to VP-28 for operational training in Korea.My crew,#6 was sent to Korea K-14,Kimpo Field on Dec.13 for our first night mission.We flew in tandem with a Marine F7F in night interdiction,we dropped flares to lightup targets of opportunity,trucks,bridges etc.I had 43 missions which also included ABLE patrols up toward Validivostock to light up the Russian radar for plotting.We also flew up the East China Sea checking on all shipping going into Shanghai.We photographed and identified all ships we encountered.On one night interdiction we were notified by our Marine fighter that we had a bogey on our 6 he said that he had night fighting gear aboard and would get him,we were told to bank hard to starboard on his mark,we did and he flamed him.I have been a big fan of the marines ever since.
