2 0 1 0 ) ▁was ▁a ▁T usk eg ee ▁Air man ▁serving ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁He ▁fle w ▁over ▁ 3 0 ▁miss ions ▁for ▁the ▁f amed ▁squad ron ▁over ▁North ▁Africa , ▁Italy ▁and ▁Southern ▁Europe . ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Watson ▁attended ▁a ▁ceremony ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Capit ol ▁rot unda , ▁where ▁he ▁and ▁other ▁surv iving ▁veter ans ▁of ▁the ▁T usk eg ee ▁Air men ▁( and ▁their ▁wid ows ) ▁were ▁hon ored ▁with ▁the ▁Cong r essional ▁Gold ▁Medal ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁their ▁service . ▁He ▁died ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁aged ▁ 9 3 . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Sp ann ▁Watson ▁spent ▁his ▁early ▁life ▁on ▁the ▁family ▁farm ▁outside ▁John ston , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁the ▁family ▁moved ▁north ▁to ▁L odi , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁where ▁he ▁completed ▁his ▁primary ▁and ▁secondary ▁education . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁he ▁en rolled ▁at ▁Howard ▁University ▁as ▁a ▁Mechan ical ▁Engineering ▁student ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁private ▁pilot ' s ▁license . ▁ ▁Military ▁service ▁He ▁helped ▁break ▁the ▁US ▁Army ▁Air ▁Corps ▁color ▁bar rier , ▁en list ing ▁as ▁a ▁F lying ▁Cad et ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁Comple ting ▁pilot ▁training ▁at ▁a ▁seg reg ated ▁T usk eg ee ▁Army ▁Air ▁Field , ▁in ▁T usk