Born in Alton, Illinois. Studied forestry at the University of Michigan. After graduation moved to Washington, where he worked as a logger. With the outbreak of World War II, he was one of the first to volunteer for the ski troops. Trained at Fort Lewis and Mount Rainier, and was part of the Columbia Ice Fields expedition. Trained at Camp Hale, Colorado; Camp Swift, Texas and served in Italy. Company commander in the 86th Infantry Regiment. Wounded in action near Mount della Torraccia on February 24, 1945. Following the War, owned a wholesale lumber company and remained active in mountain climbing, and was still hiking at age 88.
From the description of Roe Duke Watson oral history, 1986, 2004. (Denver Public Library). WorldCat record id: 60570012
