758th Railway Shop Battalion - Watters obit

James Louis Watters April 6, 1923 - January 13, 2009 James Louis ""Jim"" Watters, 85, of Wilmington, died peacefully at Liberty Commons Nursing Center on January 13, 2009.

He was born on April 6, 1923, in Wilmington, NC, the son of James Louis Watters Sr. and Mae Singletary Watters. He grew up at Carolina Beach / Kure Beach and developed a love of the outdoors at an early age along with his brothers and the rest of the KBRARs Kure Beach Raggedy Ass Rangers. He had a specific passion for fishing that he shared with his beloved wife Ann. They loved to go surf fishing on local beaches and would often go fishing at their favorite spot on Core Banks near Atlantic, NC. Growing up near Fort Fisher, he also developed a passion for Civil War history.
He took this passion and explored the areas around Fort Fisher and many of the sunken blockade runners with his brothers as willing accomplices. Jim a.k.a. ""Son"" retired from the US Army with the rank of Captain. His military career started at the age of 15 when he lied about his age and joined the NC National Guard I Company, 120th Infantry. He was, of course, found out and his tenure with the Guard came to a quick end. He started his military career in earnest when he was drafted by the US Army during WW II and sent to the China Burma India theatre of operations where he served with the 758th Railway Shop Battalion. After WWII he went to OCS, received his commission and served in Germany with the 2nd Armored Division. After active duty, he completed his service with the Army Reserve in Wilmington. In civilian life, he was a highly skilled welder, machinist and mechanic. He took these skills and became a dedicated vocational instructor with New Hanover County Schools and Cape Fear Technical Institute. Read on https://www.andrewsmortuary.com/obituary/5133504