Skip, as his mother called him, began to show dedication to his schooling and all else he was involved with years before deciding to become a Marine.  He joined the Boy Scouts of America and soon it became apparent that he would excel in this endeavor also.  He became a mentor for those scouts younger than he, assisted the adult leaders, worked diligently on his Merit Badges and advanced in scouting rank.  On January 24, 1965, BSA Troop 13, sponsored by the Lafayette Presbyterian Church of Norfolk, Virginia, bestowed upon him the rank of Eagle Scout.  Only one percent of those who join the scouting program ever become an Eagle Scout.  Today the Marine Corps, recognizing the value of individuals who become Eagle Scouts, promote Marines to Private First Class upon completing boot camp.  Further, Colonel Dabney recalls that enlisted Marines who were applying for NROTC scholarships were given additional points toward the selection process if they had been awarded Eagle Scout status.

The scouting community of the Norfolk area also recognized the loss of Skip by dedicating an outdoor chapel to him within the Pipsco, Virginia BSA Reservation.  This reservation is comprised of several individual camps, one being Camp Lions.  The image below is the all-faith chapel of Camp Lions.  The minister would stand behind the rock podium and address as many as 100 scouts who would be seated on benches to his front.
 
 

Sgt. Joseph M. "Sgt. Rock" Jones' recollections of William W. Waters, III are fond mixed with a deep sense of loss when he was KIA in an ambush near Lang Co.  In that same incident LCpl. Philip Provenzano was WIA.

Muddy used to rail about the fact that, at 18, he was too young to vote or buy beer back home but he could go to Viet Nam.  At least he got to drink beer there.  SSgt. Taylor and I used to kid him about his wrist watch.  I don't recall the brand but the model was "Sea Wolf" and it was a "diver's" watch.  He was proud of it and when showing it off to Karl and myself he misspoke the model, calling it a "Werewolf".  Of course after that we were always asking him what time his werewolf said it was.