William C. Bates

William C. Bates served on board the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) as a pilot with torpedo squadron VT-18 during World War II. Bates joined the squadron in 1943, and the squadron embarked on Intrepid in the fall of 1944. He held the rank of lieutenant junior grade. According to the squadron command history, Bates flew 20 bombing, rocket and torpedo missions against enemy targets. He sank a gunboat, damaged other enemy vessels and struck land targets. Bates was a recipient of the Navy Cross.