▁with ▁great ▁de xter ity , ▁had ▁been ▁mort ally ▁wounded , ▁probably ▁in ▁the ▁f ighter ' s ▁last ▁pass . ▁▁ ▁The ▁burning ▁P BY ▁made ▁a ▁landing , ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁living ▁crew man ▁abandoned ▁the ▁aircraft ▁and ▁struck ▁out ▁for ▁shore . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁time ▁to ▁extr icate ▁Wat erman ' s ▁body ▁from ▁the ▁bla zing ▁Catal ina . ▁ ▁Award ed ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross ▁Wat erman ▁was ▁awarded ▁a ▁post hum ous ▁Navy ▁Cross ▁for ▁" extra ordinary ▁hero ism ▁and ▁courage " ▁as ▁plane ▁captain ▁of ▁Christ man ' s ▁P BY . ▁His ▁c itation ▁noted ▁his ▁" loy al ▁and ▁cons cient ious ▁dev otion ▁to ▁duty " ▁during ▁the ▁eng agement ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁lost ▁his ▁life ▁in ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁his ▁country . ▁ ▁Names ake ▁The ▁USS ▁Wat erman ▁( DE - 7 4 0 ) ▁was ▁named ▁in ▁his ▁honor . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁laid ▁down ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁at ▁San ▁Pedro , ▁California , ▁by ▁the ▁Western ▁Ste el ▁and ▁Pi pe ▁Co .; ▁launched ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 3 ; ▁spons ored ▁by ▁Mrs . ▁June ▁M . ▁Wat erman , ▁the ▁wid ow ▁of ▁A viation ▁Mach in ist ' s ▁Mate ▁ 1 st ▁Class ▁Wat erman ; ▁and ▁commission ed ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Wat erman ▁ ▁Category :