World War II Honoree

Chester B. Bates

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Albany, New York

Honored By

Donna Bond, Dominick & Robert Bates

Relationship

Daughter & Sons

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AT THE OLD POST OFFICE BUILDING IN ALBANY, NEW YORK ON JANUARY 19, 1942 AT AGE 20. BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP UPTON, LONG ISLAND. AFTER ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING, HE WAS ASSIGNED WITHIN THE CONTINENTAL U.S. FOR JUST OVER 2 1/2 YEARS BEFORE BEING DEPLOYED TO THE WESTERN PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS ON SEPTEMBER 29, 1944 FROM THE PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA ON THE ATTACK TRANSPORT SHIP, GENERAL HARRY TAYLOR (APA-145). ARRIVED IN NEW CALEDONIA IN OCTOBER. AT ONE POINT, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 2255TH AG PUBLICATIONS DEPOT, WHICH WAS PART OF THE ARMY'S INFORMATION BUREAU WHERE HE SERVED AS A WAREHOUSE FOREMAN. FOR HIS HONORABLE AND VALUABLE SERVICE ON TWO CONTINENTS AND IN TWO THEATERS OF OPERATION, HE RECEIVED THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER MEDAL WITH ONE BRONZE SEERVICE STAR (WESTERN PACIFIC), WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH JAPAN CLASP, NEW YORK STATE MEDAL FOR MERIT, TWO OVERSEAS SERVICE BARS, SHARPSHOOTER BADGE WITH RIFLE AND CARBINE TABS, ONE HITCH MARK AND HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL BUTTON. SEPARATED FROM THE U.S. ARMY AT FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY ON JANUARY 14, 1946, JUST 4 DAYS SHY OF FOUR YEARS SERVICE; ONE YEAR, THREE MONTHS AND FOUR DAYS OF THAT SERVICE ON FOREIGN SOIL IN THE PACIFIC.