Robert E. Watkins
Private First Class Robert E. Watkins, Serial: 00273306, 1st Marine Division, U.S. Marine Corps. Awards: Purple Heart. He lived at 931 North 3rd Street, Camden NJ. Memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.
Private First Class Robert E. Watkins was born in Arkansas around 1922. By 1930 his mother had remarried, to George Smith, and the family had moved to Camden NJ. Robert Watkins lived much of his life in Camden, at 840 Elm Street. He attended school in Brooklawn and Camden. His last Camden address was 931 North 3rd Street. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on August 2, 1939. Sometime around 1941, his mother Geneva and stepfather George Smith moved to 250 Broadway, Pitcairn PA, not far from Pittsburgh.
Robert E. Watkins was reported missing in action on August 9, 1942 on the island of Guadalcanal. His status was reported in the Camden Courier-Post on October 3, 1942. He was declared dead one year and one day later. He was survived by his mother and stepfather. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines.