Edward H. Watson

Edward H. Watson

Edward Howe Watson (February 28, 1874 – January 7, 1942) was a career United States Navy officer, who led a squadron of destroyers aground off Point Honda on the California coast in 1923.

Early life and marriage

Watson was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, a son of Commander John Crittendon Watson, USN. Watson married Hermine Cary Gratz who came from a family of five siblings, including a half sister, Helen, who married Godfrey Rockefeller of Greenwich, Connecticut.

Navy career

Academy and early career

Watson graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1895 and served on several ships during the rest of the decade, including Spanish-American War service on board the cruiser USS Detroit. He commanded the storeship USS Celtic in 1912-13, then attended the Naval War College. Watson also saw duty as Executive Officer of the battleship USS Utah and as Commanding Officer of the gunboat USS Wheeling.

World War I

During World War I, Watson was in command of the battleship USS Alabama, receiving the Navy Cross. In March 1919, he became U.S. Naval Attaché in Japan, remaining in that post until May 1922. In July of that year, he took command of Destroyer Squadron 11, based on the West Coast.

Honda Point disaster

On September 8, 1923, dead reckoning navigation errors on his flagship resulted in the loss of seven of the squadron's destroyers through stranding on the rocky coast at Honda Point, California. This was known as the Honda Point Disaster and Watson was court martialed for his leadership in the event. An editorial in the Army and Navy Journal read in part "... Captain Watson has given a splendid example of the finest attributes of character overcoming the elemental instinct of self-preservation. Voluntarily waiving the fundamental right of a defendant to place the burden of proof upon the prosecution, and to refrain from testifying under oath to any facts that might tend to incriminate himself, he took the witness stand and not only freely testified to facts relating to his own culpability but also volunteered his opinion under oath that he was wholly responsible for the disaster, and that none of his subordinates should be blamed." The book itself shows this was an act of outstanding honor and leadership; that in fact the causes of the tragedy lay in new technology, fog and a series of small errors resulting in the fleet not being where its navigators believed it should be; but given the tradition of chain of command, the man at the top took responsibility.

Post-Honda Point career and retirement

After the Honda Point disaster, Watson served as Assistant Commandant of the Fourteenth Naval District, in Hawaii until he left active duty in November 1929. He retired to New York City, where he was in the New York Social Register. He and his family spent their summers on Walcott Avenue in Jamestown, Rhode Island, where he was a member of the Connanicut Yacht Club.

Death

Watson died in Brooklyn, New York.

References

• Department of the Navy -- Naval Historical Center This work is in the public domain.