George Watson drowns saving others

8th March 1943: African-American soldier dies saving shipwreck survivors off New Guinea - and is much later awarded the Medal of Honor

The US supply ship - the former Dutch East Indies freighter - ‘s Jacob sinking on the 8th March 1943, seen from the approaching HMAS Bendigo. The exhausted George Watson was sucked down as the ship sank.

While the Allies had delivered a devastating blow to the Japanese in their attempt to reinforce New Guinea in the battle of the Bismarck Sea, their own…