Darlyle WATTERS (1920-2001)

1 Darlyle WATTERS¹ (1920-2001) [10920]. Born 12 Oct 1920, MI.^1,2 Marr Jean ? c. 1943.³ Died 11 May 2001, Haslett, MI.^2,3

Article written by Darlyle Watters on Prisoner of War Experience, BNET.com.

"I can't say I "enjoyed" the story "Guest of the Germans" but I can say it brought back memories.
I was a WWII glider pilot that was shot down on 19 September 1944 during the Holland invasion. I landed with a dead copilot and four wounded, including me. I ended up in Stalag Luft I in October in the old section with the German identity 6277.
I was invited to participate in a food combine with Tex Kolb, father of Linda Lesniewske, a contributor to your article. Such a great guy.
When the cattle arrived and were butchered, we obtained our share of the beef. It was too damn tough to eat but we did. It was almost too tough to digest.
The Germans has a fish weir out in the bay and our way to recover from an average 50-pound loss of body weight was to force the Germans to paddle out and empty the weir of flounder. We deep fried the fish and really feasted.
Many of us took on jobs for the good of the camp. I became operator, mechanic, and only member of the motor poop of six or eight vehicles confiscated from German civilians.
I also had some booby trap training and was able to get into the aircraft factory at the airfield without getting killed and was able to put together a tool kit. This helped me keep the vehicles running for the two weeks until the Russians arrived.
My "home" was in Barracks No. 1 in the old section, west section. I flew out in the 13th B-17G on the first day they came in for us.
I got home so early that my paycheck for all that time was reduced by Federal Income Taxes - later not required, but also not refunded. I also did not get my promotion to captain that was way overdue. They ignored my mission report, did not grant my Purple Heart, and I had to pay a civilian dentist to fix my teeth.
On the happy side, I was home with Jean, my wife of 28 months, and was able to greet my friends as they drifted in from Europe.

Darlyle M. Watters
81st Tactical Glider Squadron
Flew D-Day mission 6 June 1944 and Holland invasion 19 September 1944"

Obituary of Darlyle Watters on the site Taps- Stalag Luft 1 POW Obituary Notices.

"WATTERS, Darlyle M. Age 80 died May 11, 2001 in Haslett, MI. During WWII, he was shot down over Europe and was a prisoner of war for 8 months at Stalag Luft 1 before liberation. Surviving are his wife of 58 years, Jean, 2 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, 5 step-great-grandchildren, and two brothers.".

2 Milton J. WATTERS^1,4,5,6,7 (1893-1978) [10900]. Born 15 Jun 1893, Iosco, MI.^1,5,6,7 Marr Irene ? c. 1917.⁶ Died 13 Apr 1978, Jackson, MI.⁷

4 Chauncey E. WATTERS^4,8,9,10,11 (1864-aft1930) [5570]. Born May 1864.^4,9,10,11,12 Marr Corilla M. PEARSON 1892.⁸ Marr Alice A. PEARSON btw 1899 and 1900.⁴ Died aft 1930.^4,12 Buried Lakeside Cemetery.¹²

5 Corilla M. PEARSON^12,13 (1870-1897) [5565]. Born 1870.^12,13 Died 1897.^12,14 Buried Lakeside Cemetery.¹²

10 George Pearson SR.^12,14,15 (1840-1878) [4067]. Born 1840.¹² Marr Sarah Alice SAUNDERS 15 Sep 1866.¹⁴ Died 1878.¹² Buried Lakeside Cemetery (AKA Lake Cemetery), Marion Twp., MI.¹²

11 Sarah Alice SAUNDERS^{4,10,11,12,13,14,15,16} (1847-1932) [4007]. Born 19 Dec 1847, MI.^4,12,14,16 Died 13 Feb 1932, Parker's Corners, MI.^12,14 Buried Lakeside Cemetery (AKA Lake Cemetery), Marion Twp., MI.¹²

3 Irene ?^1,6,7 (1897-1983) [10917]. Born 18 Mar 1897, MI.^1,6,7 Died 9 Jan 1983, Jackson, MI.⁷

Sources

1	"1930 MI, Jackson, Jackson census".

2	"Social Security Death Index".

3	"Obituary of Darlyle M. Watters on the site Taps- Stalag Luft 1 POW Obituary Notices".

4	"1900 MI, Livingston, Iosco census".

5	"WWI Selective Service registration card".

6	"1920 MI, Livingston, Unadilla census".

7	"Michigan Death Index, 1971-1996".

8	"Marriages in Livingston County, MI".

9	"1910 MI, Livingston, Iosco census".

10	"1920 MI, Livingston, Iosco census".

11	"1930 MI, Livingston, Iosco census".

12	"Livingston County Cemetery Index".

13	"1880 Michigan, Livingston, Marion census".

14	"Obituary of Sarah Alice Saunders in the Livingston County Republican Press (Howell, MI) in February 1932".

15	"Early Land Owners and Settlers of Livingston Co., Michigan 1828 - 1870's".

16	"1860 Michigan, Livingston, Marion census".