John K. Waters

John K. Waters
General John K. Waters
Born	December 20, 1906
Died	January 9, 1989(1989-01-09) (aged 82)
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1931-1966
Rank	General
Commands held	4th Armored Division V Corps Fifth Army U.S. Army, Pacific
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War
Awards	Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (2) Purple Heart

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.

Early career

Waters attended Johns Hopkins University in Maryland for two years before deciding he wanted a military career. He relocated to Illinois in order to obtain an appointment to the United States Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1931 with a commission in the cavalry.

World War II

Waters was captured in Tunisia at Dejebel Lassouda when German forces attacked Sidi bou Zid during World War II.

Waters, who had married General George S. Patton's daughter Beatrice in 1934, was one of many officers interned at Hammelburg. Patton claimed that he did not know that Waters was at OFLAG XIII-B and that he feared the Germans would execute the POWs rather than let them be liberated. According to some sources the Third Army had received intelligence that Waters was indeed at the camp, having recently been moved there from Silesia.

The task force, known as Task Force Baum, reached the camp, which was 50 miles behind the front lines, on March 27 with some losses after running into several German units detraining in a marshalling area. It had been shadowed by a German observation plane while en-route, and its intentions were anticipated.

Waters had been shot by a defending guard as he and a German officer were trying to contact the task force. Badly wounded, he was treated by a Serbian doctor Colonel Radovan Danic, the chief surgeon of the former Yugoslavian Army, who was also interned at the camp. The camp was liberated about a week to ten days later, but the only prisoners there were badly wounded and sick, the rest (including the remnants of Task Force Baum) having been moved farther east.

Later career

Waters returned to duty in 1946 and became commandant of cadets at West Point. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1952 when he deployed to Korea as Chief of Staff for I Corps. His major command assignments include Commanding General for the 4th Armored Division and Commanding General for V Corps, both in Europe, as well as Commanding General for the Fifth United States Army, then headquartered in Chicago.

Significant other assignments for Waters were as Chief of the American Military Assistance Staff in Yugoslavia from 1955 to 1957, and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Material Developments, Fort Monroe, Virginia. He also commanded the latter unit before taking command of U.S. Army, Pacific in Hawaii. He retired on August 31, 1966.

Major awards for Waters include the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions leading fellow prisoners, the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star , the Purple Heart, and the Korean Service Medal. He died on January 9, 1989.

Family

He married Beatrice Patton on June 27, 1934, with whom he had two sons, John and George P. This union lasted until her death on October 24, 1952. (see obituary below)

Chicago Tribune (IL) - October 25, 1952

Mrs. Beatrice Waters

Deceased Name: Mrs. Beatrice Ayer Patton Waters West Point, N. Y., Oct. 24 (AP)-- Mrs. Beatrice Ayer Patton Waters, 41, daughter of the late Gen. George S. Patton Jr., died yesterday of a heart attack in her home in nearby Highland Falls. She was the wife of Brig. Gen. John K. Waters who is in Korea . A native of Fort Sheridan, Ill., Mrs. Waters was graduated from Foxcroft school in Virginia. She leaves her mother, two sons, a brother, and a sister.

External links

• http://taskforcebaum.de/main6.html
• http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/06/01/special_reports/life_times/15_03_415_29_04.txt
• Historic footage of Lt. Col. John K. Waters during his liberation from OFLAG XIII-B prison camp in 1945. See 2:35 mark in video clip.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document "[1]".