Andrew Kenneth Waterman
Encyclopedia
Andrew Kenneth Waterman, born in Lewis County, Kentucky
, on 20 December 1913, enlisted in the United States Navy
on 21 November 1932 at Buffalo, New York
.
, he served successive tours of sea duty in USS Nitro (AE-2)
, USS New Mexico (BB-40)
, and USS Relief (AH-2) before he underwent aviation training at the Fleet Air Base, Coco Solo
, Panama Canal Zone
. After he attained the rate of aviation machinist's mate 3d class in December 1935 and extended his enlistment in November 1936, Waterman served with Utility Squadron 1 into mid-1939.
Transferred to Patrol Squadron (VP) 21 in August 1939, Waterman joined that unit in time to make the transpacific flight from Hawaii
to the Philippines
of VP-21's PBY-4's
to reinforce the Asiatic Fleet's patrols out of Cavite
and Olongapo. For his role in that movement, Waterman received a commendation from Commander, Patrol Wing (PatWing
) 2, Rear Admiral Arthur L. Bristol, Jr., on 2 October 1939. The admiral
praised Waterman's "through planning, attention to detail, and exceptional ability" that indicated a "high degree of efficiency" instrumental in the success of that important mission.
Transferred to VP-1 in September 1940 -- three months before the establishment of PatWing
10 on 16 December 1940 -- Waterman remained with the Asiatic Fleet's air arm for the rest of his life. PatWing 10 flew reconnaissance
and patrol missions from Cavite's Sangley Point seaplane
base or from tender-supported Olongapo up to the outbreak of war with Japan
on 8 December 1941. After that day—with the Asiatic Fleet on the defensive against the relentless pressure applied by the invading Japanese—PatWing 10's lumbering PBY's conducted their reconnoitering and patrol missions in the face of increasingly heavy antiaircraft fire and fighter opposition.
, Netherlands East Indies, and set course for the Philippines
. The Catalina flying boats were slated to hit Japanese shipping reportedly in the harbor at the island of Jolo
, in the Sulu Archipelago
. Waterman -- who had by that time advanced to the rate of aviation machinist's mate 1st class—was flying as waist gunner and first mechanic in the PBY-4 flown by Ens. Elwyn L. Christman, USNR
.
Soon after the PBY's arrived over Jolo Harbor, antiaircraft fire from shore emplacements greeted them with gunfire assessed by Ens. Christman as "very accurate." Gunfire from the enemy ships below proved less troublesome, but soon the guns stopped firing when attacking Japanese fighter aircraft hove into view. Waterman and Aviation Machinist's Mate 2d Class Joseph Bangust
, the waist gunners, stood by their machine guns and downed the first attacker.
While in a 60-degree dive aimed at a cruiser
below, Christman released his bombs at 5,000 feet before heading the lumbering PBY westward to clear the area. One fighter, however, pursued doggedly.
The burning PBY made a landing, and the remaining living crewman abandoned the aircraft and struck out for shore. There was no time to extricate Waterman's body from the blazing Catalina.
for "extraordinary heroism and courage" as plane captain of Christman's PBY. His citation noted his "loyal and conscientious devotion to duty" during the engagement in which he lost his life in the service of his country.
was named in his honor. The ship was laid down on 24 February 1943 at San Pedro, California, by the Western Steel and Pipe Co.; launched on 20 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. June M. Waterman, the widow of Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class Waterman; and commissioned on 30 November 1943.
Lewis County, Kentucky
Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 14,092. Its county seat is Vanceburg. The county is named for Meriwether Lewis.Lewis County is part of the Maysville Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, on 20 December 1913, enlisted in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
on 21 November 1932 at Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
Navy career
After instruction at the Naval Training Station, Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, he served successive tours of sea duty in USS Nitro (AE-2)
USS Nitro (AE-2)
USS Nitro was laid down 19 March 1919 by Puget Sound Navy Yard; launched 16 December 1919; sponsored by Mrs. Henry Suzalo; and commissioned 1 April 1921, Comdr. R. W. Vincent in command....
, USS New Mexico (BB-40)
USS New Mexico (BB-40)
USS New Mexico was a battleship in service with the United States Navy from 1918 to 1946. She was the lead ship of a class of three battleships. New Mexico was extensively modernized between 1931 and 1933 and saw service during World War II both in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. After her...
, and USS Relief (AH-2) before he underwent aviation training at the Fleet Air Base, Coco Solo
Coco Solo
Coco Solo was a United States Navy submarine base established in 1918 on the Atlantic Ocean side of the Panama Canal Zone, near Colón, Panama....
, Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
. After he attained the rate of aviation machinist's mate 3d class in December 1935 and extended his enlistment in November 1936, Waterman served with Utility Squadron 1 into mid-1939.
Transferred to Patrol Squadron (VP) 21 in August 1939, Waterman joined that unit in time to make the transpacific flight from Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
of VP-21's PBY-4's
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
to reinforce the Asiatic Fleet's patrols out of Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
and Olongapo. For his role in that movement, Waterman received a commendation from Commander, Patrol Wing (PatWing
PatWing
PatWing is a standard U.S Navy abbreviation for "Patrol Wing."The commander of a PatWing is called ComPatWing or COMPATWING.Currently there are three Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings:*Patrol Wing Two at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii...
) 2, Rear Admiral Arthur L. Bristol, Jr., on 2 October 1939. The admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
praised Waterman's "through planning, attention to detail, and exceptional ability" that indicated a "high degree of efficiency" instrumental in the success of that important mission.
Transferred to VP-1 in September 1940 -- three months before the establishment of PatWing
PatWing
PatWing is a standard U.S Navy abbreviation for "Patrol Wing."The commander of a PatWing is called ComPatWing or COMPATWING.Currently there are three Patrol and Reconnaissance Wings:*Patrol Wing Two at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii...
10 on 16 December 1940 -- Waterman remained with the Asiatic Fleet's air arm for the rest of his life. PatWing 10 flew reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
and patrol missions from Cavite's Sangley Point seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
base or from tender-supported Olongapo up to the outbreak of war with Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
on 8 December 1941. After that day—with the Asiatic Fleet on the defensive against the relentless pressure applied by the invading Japanese—PatWing 10's lumbering PBY's conducted their reconnoitering and patrol missions in the face of increasingly heavy antiaircraft fire and fighter opposition.
Bombing Japanese Shipping
On occasion, the PBY's were pressed into service as bombers; and it was on such a mission that Waterman was killed. Before midnight on 26 December 1941, a six-plane attack group of PBY's from VP-101 (the redesignated VP-1) departed their advance base at AmbonAmbon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
, Netherlands East Indies, and set course for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The Catalina flying boats were slated to hit Japanese shipping reportedly in the harbor at the island of Jolo
Jolo
Jolo may refer to:* Jolo Island* Jolo, Sulu* Jolo, West Virginia* Jolo is also the nickname of Swedish author Jan Olof Olsson....
, in the Sulu Archipelago
Sulu Archipelago
The Sulu Archipelago is a chain of islands in the southwestern Philippines. This archipelago is considered to be part of the Moroland by the local rebel independence movement. This island group forms the northern limit of the Celebes Sea....
. Waterman -- who had by that time advanced to the rate of aviation machinist's mate 1st class—was flying as waist gunner and first mechanic in the PBY-4 flown by Ens. Elwyn L. Christman, USNR
United States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
.
Soon after the PBY's arrived over Jolo Harbor, antiaircraft fire from shore emplacements greeted them with gunfire assessed by Ens. Christman as "very accurate." Gunfire from the enemy ships below proved less troublesome, but soon the guns stopped firing when attacking Japanese fighter aircraft hove into view. Waterman and Aviation Machinist's Mate 2d Class Joseph Bangust
Joseph Bangust
Joseph Bangust, born in Niles, Ohio, on May 30, 1915, enlisted in the United States Navy on November 16, 1938 at the Naval Training Station, San Diego, California.-Navy career:...
, the waist gunners, stood by their machine guns and downed the first attacker.
While in a 60-degree dive aimed at a cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
below, Christman released his bombs at 5,000 feet before heading the lumbering PBY westward to clear the area. One fighter, however, pursued doggedly.
Shot Down by a Japanese Zero
In the ensuing running fight, the PBY fared badly. On one pass, the fighter's cannon shells tore into the plane's gasoline tank; and the volatile fuel spilled from the ruptured area. On another pass, the fighter's fire ignited the gasoline and set the Catalina ablaze. Christman headed for the water to land and abandon ship; two men, Radiomen 2 Class Landers and Bangust, bailed out at 300 feet while Christman and his second and third pilots rode the plane down. Waterman, after manning his single .30-caliber machine gun with great dexterity, had been mortally wounded, probably in the fighter's last pass.The burning PBY made a landing, and the remaining living crewman abandoned the aircraft and struck out for shore. There was no time to extricate Waterman's body from the blazing Catalina.
Awarded the Navy Cross
Waterman was awarded a posthumous Navy CrossNavy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for "extraordinary heroism and courage" as plane captain of Christman's PBY. His citation noted his "loyal and conscientious devotion to duty" during the engagement in which he lost his life in the service of his country.
Namesake
The USS Waterman (DE-740)USS Waterman (DE-740)
USS Waterman was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Pacific Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys...
was named in his honor. The ship was laid down on 24 February 1943 at San Pedro, California, by the Western Steel and Pipe Co.; launched on 20 June 1943; sponsored by Mrs. June M. Waterman, the widow of Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class Waterman; and commissioned on 30 November 1943.