World War II Honoree

Clyde Irvin Yates

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Mission, Texas

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE AFTER PASSING A QUALIFYING EXAM FOR THE NAVY V-12 OFFICER COLLEGE TRAINING PROGRAM. INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. NAVY AS AN APPRENTICE SEAMAN AND ENTERED THE NAVY V-12 OFFICER COLLEGE TRAINING PROGRAM. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO PROVIDE A COLLEGE-TRAINED POOL OF MEN TO SERVE AS OFFICERS. THE PROGRAM WAS BASICALLY A YEAR IN DURATION, AT ONE OF SOME 131 NAVY-CONTRACTED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. COLLEGE PROGRAMS WERE CATEGORIZED INTO LINE, MEDICAL, DENTAL AND THEOLOGICAL UNITS, ACCORDING TO ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES NEEDED TO FILL NAVAL OFFICER DEMANDS. STUDENTS WERE REQUIRED TO WEAR THEIR SERVICE UNIFORMS AND PARTICIPATE IN RIGOROUS PHYSICAL TRAINING, IN ADDITION TO THEIR ACADEMIC STUDIES. IN RETURN, THEY RECEIVED A STIPEND OF $50 A MONTH. TUITION, BOOKS, FEES AND ROOM AND BOARD WAS PAID BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SENT TO COLLEGE AT MILLSAPS COLLEGE IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI. HE GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY AND WAS SENT TO A NAVAL RESERVE MIDSHIPMAN'S SCHOOL. UPON COMPLETION, HE WAS COMMISSIONED AN ENSIGN IN THE NAVAL RESERVE. SERVED DURING THE WAR AND WAS AWARDED THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.