World War II Honoree

Ura C. Cates

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Kansas City, Missouri

Honored By

Mrs. Mary Proffitt

Relationship

Niece

Served with 1876th Engineers Aviation Battalion. As Japan vacated South Pacific Islands, Sergeant Cates drove large bulldozer off landing craft and began dozing the trees down to make strip for the planes. Often he dozed down trees with Japanese snipers tied in them. Sometimes he had a sniper with him, and other times he had to raise blade as a shield against Japanese bullets.