John K. Waters

Infobox Military Person
name = John K. Waters
born = 1906
died = January 9 death year and age|1989|1906
placeofbirth =
placeofdeath =
placeofburial=


caption = General John K. Waters
nickname =
allegiance = flagicon|United States United States of America
serviceyears = 1931-1966
rank = General
branch = United States Army
commands = U.S. Army, Pacific 4th Armored Division Fifth Army
unit =
battles = World War II Korean War
awards = Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Silver Star Purple Heart
laterwork =

John Knight Waters (1906 - January 9, 1989) was an 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.

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 the Nazi-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 some 60 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 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.

External links

*http://taskforcebaum.de/main6.html
*http://www.milmag.com/newsite/features/articles/hammelburg/
*http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/06/01/special_reports/life_times/15_03_415_29_04.txt