Technical Sergeant Watson was a crew member of a C-47 Skytrain transport with the 1973rd Airways and Air Communication System Squadron, 1818th Airways and Air Communication System Group. On 29 September 1951, during bad weather, the aircraft crashed into a hill, killing seven on board.

Watson was awarded the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.