World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Billy Orin Gates
Hometown
Loveland, Colorado
Honored By
A Grateful American
AMERICAN CITIZEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE BRITISH COMMONWEALTH AIR TRAINING PLAN, HELD RANK OF FLIGHT SERGEANT AND SERVED AS A PILOT IN THE ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE. KILLED IN ACTION WITH HIS ENTIRE CREW AT THE AGE OF 25 WHILE ATTACHED TO NO. 214 'FEDERATED MALAY STATES' SQUADRON, ROYAL AIR FORCE (BOMBER COMMAND) WHEN HIS VICKERS WELLINGTON MK. 1C (Z1148) CRASHED NEAR GRUITRODE, LIMBURG, BELGIUM DURING A BOMBING RAID TO DORTMUND, GERMANY ON APRIL 15, 1942. BURIED AT HERVELEE WAR CEMETERY, LUEVEN, FLEMISH BRABANT, BELGIUM. COMMEMORATED AT THE EDORA VETERANS MEMORIAL, EDORA PARK, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO.