Earl Wellington Watson was born on March 11, 1915, in Los Angeles, California, the son of John H. Watson and Martha E. Wellington. He grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1934. That same year, shortly after graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained as a navigator.
On August 27, 1936, after John Watson passed away, Martha married James Evans of Torrance, who operated a gift shop on Sartori Avenue. Earl also listed an address on that street in Torrance on his 1941 draft card.
While serving in the Navy, Watson was a navigation officer with Patrol Squadron 45, taking part in four flights to Hawaii and three to Sitka, Alaska. He reenlisted after his first period of service and completed his second enlistment in April 1941.
After leaving the Navy, Watson sought new adventure. In June 1941, he joined the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) (or the Royal Air Force Ferry Command) — a transatlantic bomber ferry service responsible for delivering multi-engine military aircraft from manufacturers in the United States and Canada to Britain.
Tragically, on August 14, 1941, First Officer Watson was killed in the crash of Consolidated LB-30A Liberator AM260, the British version of the B-24 bomber, at RAF Heathfield near Ayr, South Ayrshire, Scotland. The aircraft was carrying pilots and officials back to America to collect and ferry additional bombers to Britain when it went down during a nighttime takeoff. The plane veered off the runway and crashed into several huts and a perimeter embankment, triggering a massive explosion.
Twenty-two men perished in the crash, including eleven American airmen. Watson was the only man taken from the wreckage alive but died later that night at a county hospital in Ayr.
By that time, he had already completed four round trips to England since joining the bomber ferry service earlier that summer. Just weeks before his death, he had written to his family, saying he felt he had a good job and was enjoying his work.
Earl Watson was 26 years old when he died. He was survived by his wife, Lois, who was pregnant with their son, Sherman, as well as his mother and stepfather, James Evans of Torrance. He is buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial in Cambridge, England.
*Thanks and acknowledgment to Mark Hays for help with the research.
