World War II Honoree
World War II Veteran
Denzil E. 'Dee' Gates
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Alma, Oklahoma
Honored By
Robert S. Cox
LEFT COLLEGE TO JOIN THE ARMY AIR CORPS AS AN AVIATION CADET IN MARCH, 1942. GRADUATED FROM PILOT TRAINING AND WAS COMMISSIONED AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER AS A PILOT ON B-17 'FLYING FORTRESS' AND B-24 'LIBERATOR' BOMBER AIRCRAFT FLYING COMBAT MISSIONS OUT OF NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY. PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE EUROPE, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ROME-ARNO, AND NORMANDY CAMPAIGNS. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL WITH 7 BRONZE OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL. CONTINUED IN SERVICE AFTER THE WAR AND RETIRED WITH THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL.