
We are very proud to share another fantastic relic that has been added to our collection of artifacts. This is the OCS(Officer Candidate School) uniform belonging to Lieutenant Richard “Bruce” Watkins who served as a platoon Leader with E/2/1 on Cape Gloucester and Peleliu, and then as the Commanding Officer of E company at Okinawa and China, earning a Silver Star, a Gold Star in lieu of a second Silver Star, and a Purple Heart. This is the enlisted man’s uniform he would have worn while at OCS school. It was purchased off of eBay over a decade ago by a private collector who claimed the SSI patch had been added by the previous owner. He also added the ribbon bar for display purposes. This is not the uniform he would have worn during or after his time with E/2/1. Regardless it’s an honor for us to be the caretakers of a piece of a legendary Peleliu Marine’s history. Here is an excerpt from his memoir “Brothers in Battle” following Peleliu and after will be his obituary which did a great job of summarizing such a life well lived.

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“As we filed off the Tryon to our old bivouac at Pavuvu, we saw few familiar faces. There were a handful of lightly wounded casualties, but all the other living were still hospitalized. Settling into the tents that had been our home a short month ago, we were immediately struck by the empty cots with personal gear stowed below. We had returned with about 15% of our original number. That made for a lot of empty cots. Most of these cots would never see their original occupants again.
Shortly after, I received a summons from Division headquarters. “We think we may have one of your men down here.” It was PFC Brennan and he told me he did not have a name, that the Japs had taken it from him on the second day. He was sent home to the States and I received a letter from him some time later. He had been suffering from cerebral malaria but back in a cool climate he had recovered.

In the heat of the Peleliu battle I had not accounted for two of our 17-year-old privates, but these returned to us now, unscathed. Monty told me they had bugged out in the middle of the battle. I had assumed they were wounded or killed. Although this was technically desertion under fire, the NCO’s had a great deal of understanding, taking into account their youthfulness. I saw no reason to take issue with their judgement, and these two more than proved themselves in the next battle.
There were many signs of strain after Peleliu. Our colonel told us how coming out of the shower he met a major, a member of Battalion Staff, with a towel draped over his arm. The major asked the colonel if he really liked him. The colonel replied, “Of course.” He then removed the towel displaying a loaded 45 pistol in his hands. “I’m glad you do,” he said, “because if you didn’t, I would have to shoot you.” Our colonel made quiet arrangements and the major was shipped back to the states under guard.
We took a boat over to Bonika, the main island of the Russells, where our hospital was. There we saw many of our comrades. John Kincaid was having trouble with both eyes and Joe Gayle was just getting the use of his arms back. Sam Alick was recovering well from the leg wound, but his thumb would never work the same. Another platoon sergeant, a handsome man, had half his face and jaw gone. A gunny sergeant with a shattered pelvis lay there with rods like an erector set holding his hips in place, and so it went. The good news was that Lee Height could return with us.
Back on Pavuvu in the days that followed, we were allowed to rest and routine was at a minimum. We drifted from tent to tent checking on who had returned and always there were the empty cots. This was a most necessary rehabilitation period during wich we dealt with our shock and the loss of many friends. We were to need that rest both physically and mentally for there was much ahead of us.”

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“Richard Bruce Watkins, 91, of Manchester, passed away on August 4, 2013. He was born on September 3, 1921, to C. Elmore and Iva J. (Smith) Watkins in Manchester, where he was raised with his two sisters. He graduated from Manchester High School in 1939 and from Tufts University in 1943, where he was on the football and track teams. His family spent summers at Camp Bethel in Haddam, where he met the love of his life, Iva June Whitney of Melrose, FL. They married on July 18, 1943, and just five weeks later he left to serve in the U.S. Marines during World War II, leaving June to wait and pray for his safe return. He served in the South Pacific as a Platoon Leader on Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, Okinawa, and China, earning a Silver Star, a Gold Star in lieu of a second Silver Star, and a Purple Heart. He retired with the rank of Captain. It was two long years before they had "the reunion of a lifetime" and then settled in Manchester where they raised their four children. Bruce wrote his memoir, Brothers in Battle, about his war experience, and returned to Peleliu for the 55th Anniversary of the Battle. Bruce was owner and manager of Watkins Brothers Furniture and Watkins Funeral Home in Manchester from 1946 to 1981, and then worked at Manchester Hardware where he was an assistant manager and furniture repairer. He later ran his own business repairing antique furniture. Bruce was a man of service. In Manchester, he helped to organize the early Manchester Road Races (1946-1990) and was a timer for 18 years. He was a member of Kiwanis for 32 years, President of Manchester Chamber of Commerce 1955, and Chamber Board Member 1954-1965. He received the "M" award from the Manchester C of C in 1983. He served on the Red Cross Board, Town Development Committee, Recreation Department Committee, and as Secretary of the Parking Authority. Bruce attended South United Methodist Church for many years, where he served on the Board of Directors, Trustees, Pastor Relations, and also as Chairman of Fund Raising. Bruce served as President of the Camp Bethel Association in Haddam, CT from 1964-1970 and 1984-1985. Bruce and June passed on their love of Camp Bethel and their faith in God to their children. They later lived in Amston, CT for over 20 years and attended the Gilead Congregational Church, then moved back to Manchester in 2003. Upon June's passing in 2010, Bruce made his home in Manchester with his daughter and son-in-law for his remaining years, and became a member of the Manchester Church of the Nazarene. Bruce was a devoted family man who will be greatly missed by his children and their spouses, R. Lee Watkins and his wife Mary, Sue (Watkins) Donnelly and her husband Michael, Ralph Bruce Watkins, and David E. Watkins and his wife Nancy; his grandchildren, Jason, Adam, Lauren, Hannah, Benjamin, and Rachel; his great-granddaughter Mckenzie; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife June and his sisters Ruth and Marian”.
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