World War II Honoree

Paul L Bates

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

California

Honored By

Paula Lucy Delosh

IN JANUARY 1943, HE TOOK COMMAND OF THE 761ST TANK BATTALION. THE 761ST ENTERED COMBAT IN NOVEMBER 1944 AS PART OF GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON'S THIRD ARMY AND FOUGHT FOR 183 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITHOUT RELIEF. THE BATTALION FOUGHT IN FRANCE, THEN IN GERMANY, WHERE IT PIERCED THE SIEGFRIED LINE, AND THEN IN BELGIUM, WHERE IT FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. IT ALSO FOUGHT IN LUXEMBOURG AND AUSTRIA. IN ALL, THE 761ST TANK BATTALION WENT FROM VIC-SUR-SEILLE, FRANCE, TO THE ENNS RIVER IN STEYR, AUSTRIA, WHERE IT LINKED UP WITH THE SOVIET ARMY. HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR, TWO BRONZE STARS IN ADDITION TO THE PURPLE HEART.