The Centenarian
Herbert Gates has achieved many ranks and titles in his military career. Today, he adds “centenarian” to that list.
Words by Terrell Manasco | Images by Al Blanton
When they invented the word “patriot,” they were talking about Herbert Gates.
From the day he was born, Herbert bled red, white, and blue. He went on to proudly wear a United States Army uniform through two wars, fighting alongside his brothers-in-arms to ensure that America remained the land of the free.
His story is the stuff classic Hollywood movies are made of. Despite growing up in a poor family, Herbert has held various military ranks in his career and was awarded numerous commendations, including the Bronze Star, Army Good Conduct Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Along the way, he married his sweetheart, Doris, and they raised two fine sons.
Audie Murphy would be proud.
William Herbert Gates, Sr. was born December 8th, 1921, a Thursday, in the Pickens County community of Springhill, where his great-great-grandfather had settled in the early 1800s. The fifth of eight children, Herbert grew up working on a small farm during the Great Depression. That experience left a lasting impact on his life.
“He really learned the value of money… because they had none,” says his son, William “Bill” Gates, Jr.
As a young man, Gates met a young lady named Doris, who would also become a strong influence in his life. His friend, Command Sgt. Major J.W. Frye, jokes that when Gates invited her to the picture show, Doris first ran a “security check” on her prospective date and only accepted when the result was favorable.
Gates’ life changed forever in the summer of 1942. After receiving an invitation from Uncle Sam to join the war effort, he was sworn into the U.S. Army Air Corp and spent 2 1/2 years stateside. When he returned from Christmas leave in 1944, he was told, 'You are now in the infantry.'”
The next two decades solidified Gates’ membership in Tom Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation.” Following two months of training in 1945, he was sent to Germany and assigned to the 66th Armored Infantry Battalion of the 12th Armored Division. His company captured one of the few remaining intact bridges over the Danube River, which the Germans had wired for demolition. “They caught them by surprise, raced across and dealt with that bridge, then spent the next several days defending it from the German Air Force bombing raids,” says Bill.
Two months later, Gates’ unit was preparing to head to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan, but just before they boarded the troop transport ship from France, an announcement came over the radio that shook the world—an atomic bomb had decimated Hiroshima. Japan was still reeling from the blow when Nagasaki was hit three days later. The war was over.
Within two weeks of returning to the States, Herbert and Doris were married, but his patriotic ardor remained strong, and he re-enlisted several times. In 1950, he was assigned to the 73rd Heavy Tank Battalion in Fort Benning, Georgia. When war was declared on Korea, his unit was among the first to be mobilized. After 12 months in Korea, he was reunited with Doris and his two sons.
When the Korean War ended, Gates was stationed in Verdun, France. This time, he was allowed to bring his family. Since there were no accommodations for American servicemen, they lived in an old camping trailer with a room built on the side.
Gates returned home in 1958 and was assigned at Fort McClellan in Anniston, where he served as a supply sergeant. In 1962, he received orders to return to Korea, but felt it was time to retire. He and Doris remained in Anniston for many years until moving to Jasper in 2003.
Which brings us to today.
On a chilly December morning, a small plane races down the runway at Walker County’s Bevill Field and vaults into the vibrant, blue sky. Inside an airport hangar, a small crowd gathers around a podium. A color guard marches to the front and raises the American flag. Sitting in the front, dressed in a stylish green sport coat, navy-blue sweater vest, and checked shirt, Master Sergeant Herbert Gates listens intently from his wheelchair and flashes a warm smile below a snowy crown of hair as friends and family, including his sons, John P. Gates, who organized this event, and William “Bill” Gates, Jr., pay tribute to him and his military service. Each speaker concludes their remarks with two words: “Happy birthday.”
Today, Herbert Gates is a centenarian.
His love for America is as ardent today as when he first donned a uniform. “If Herbert was called to war, he would go right now—he'd walk out of that wheelchair,” says Command Sgt. Major Frye.
Love for country runs deep in the Gates family blood. His son, Bill, is a retired Air Force captain and pilot. Grandson Sgt. Joshua Gates served in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger with the 75th Ranger Battalion from Fort Benning, Georgia, and is a combat veteran in Afghanistan. Another grandson, Captain Jacob Gates, is a combat veteran in Iraq who served in the U.S. Army as a CBRN and Infantry Officer.
Bill Gates takes the podium and eloquently narrates a moving and sometimes light-hearted tribute to his father, ending his remarks with, “I have two loving parents. I had one of the best fathers.”
Jacob Gates stands and reads a state resolution recognizing his grandfather that Alabama Senator Greg Reed will read on the Senate floor later this morning. Grandson Justin Gates then reads a letter from former President Jimmy Carter extending birthday wishes.
As the ceremony concludes and Herbert and Doris pose for photos with family, it’s obvious that love for family also runs deep. “We don't get to celebrate many centenarians and it's even more special that it's my granddad,” says Jacob. “You heard the history of his military career, and you see the kind of lineage that he spawned. A lot of that was created through growing up around my grandad, who's really my inspiration for serving and still serving. Hopefully, we made him proud today.”
Happy birthday, Master Sergeant Gates. You made us proud. 78