Watts, Justin James
Male
Verified Justin James Watts, a 20-year-old U.S. Marine corporal from Crownsville, Maryland, was killed in action on January 14, 2006, in Hadithah, Iraq, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Their Story
Justin James Watts was a 20-year-old Marine from Crownsville, Maryland. He served as a corporal with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, part of the 1st Marine Division based at Camp Pendleton, California.
Corporal Watts was killed on January 14, 2006, in the city of Hadithah, located in Iraq's restive Al Anbar province. According to the Department of Defense, he died from wounds sustained during combat operations.
His death occurred during a period of intense violence in the Iraq War, particularly in the Sunni Triangle region. The years 2005 through 2007 were the deadliest of the conflict for U.S. forces, marked by a potent insurgency and widespread sectarian violence following the 2003 invasion.
Watts was one of 13 U.S. service members killed in Iraq on the day he died, according to casualty reports. His death was reported by national news outlets, including The Washington Post, which listed him among the day's fatalities.
He is memorialized on the Iraq War Memorial website and at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. His unit, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, sustained significant casualties during its deployment in 2005-2006.
Explore Further
Watts was killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003–2010). The conflict concluded in August 2010. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.
Among those documented in the same conflict: Kennedy, Brian Matthew, Beaupre, Ryan Anthony, Gutierrez, Jose, Waters-bey, Kendall Damon.
