Honoring Hometown Hero William Watts '94
Although he served for 20 years, U.S. Army Major (Retired) William G. Watts says his children are young enough that neither know much about his military service. All that changed on Veterans Day, when Watts was honored, along with his late brother Clarence Watts ’94, as Hometown Heroes during halftime of the Syracuse vs. Pittsburgh football game held in Yankee Stadium.
Watts was joined on the field by his daughter Kiara, 11, son Demitri, 15, and Clarence’s oldest son, Desmond, 19, where he was presented with the game ball by John Wildhack ’80, director of athletics.
“At first, I was just excited to have the opportunity to be on the field at Yankee Stadium with my family,” says Watts. Humbled by the video presentation outlining he and his brother’s military contributions, he says it was the walk back up the bleachers to his seat that really brought the honor home. “Literally every person I passed wanted to shake my hand or thanked me for my service,” he says. “That’s when it really hit me.”
William and Clarence—known as the Watts Brothers—were born and raised on Long Island. At Syracuse University, they were members of the 1992 Big East Championship Track Team, competing in the 200, 400 and 4x400 relay. They both graduated in 1994, William with a degree in anthropology and Clarence with a degree in communications.
William enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1996 as a Signals Intelligence Analyst. He spent four years enlisted earning the rank of Sergeant and earned his commission from the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning Georgia in 2000. His 20 years of military service include tours of duty in Japan and Korea, as well as Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, and Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He retired in 2016 and now works for the Department of Veterans Affairs as a field examiner in Georgia.
Clarence enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2010 as an Intelligence Analyst. He started basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and served at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and Wiesbach, Germany. He deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism. His awards and decorations include the Joint Service Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. He died from colon cancer in 2015.
The Watts Brothers were nominated as Hometown Heroes by Dwayne Murray ’97, deputy director of the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, who knew them as undergraduates a