James A. Gates

Preferred Name: Jim
Nickname/Call Sign: Gator
Date of Birth: March 2, 1932
Highest Military Grade Held: 0-3 – Captain
Hometown: Charleston, WV
James A. Gates - before
James A. Gates - now
Biography

James Gates flew the F-100C in November of 1956 with the 450th Fighter Day Wing/322nd Fighter Day Group/451st Fighter Day Squadron out of Foster AFB, Victoria, TX, and in 1957 with the 721st Fighter Day Group.

Pilot Information

Units Assigned

  • 5/1955 Pre-Flight Lackland AFB, TX
  • 6/1955 Primary Flight Training – Class 56-Q Moore AB, Mission, TX (T-34, T-28)
  • 12/1955 Basic Flight Training Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, TX (T-33)
  • 6/1956 Gunnery School 3446th PLTRARON, Williams AFB, AZ (F-86F)
  • 11/1956 450th Fighter Day Wing/322nd Fighter Day Group, 451st Fighter Day Squadron, Foster AFB, Victoria, TX  (F-100C)
  • 1957 721st Fighter Day Squadron/450th Fighter Day Wing/450th Fighter Day Group (F-100C)
  • 5/1958 Air Ground Operation School – Indoctrination Keesler AFB, MS
  • 8/1958 Detachment 1 (SAGE) 32nd Air Division (ADC), Syracuse, NY (T-33)
  • 1/19/1959 Released from Activity Duty

Awards & Decorations

Flight Info

T-34
T-28
T-33
F-86 F
F-100 C

Military & Civilian Education

Military Education:

  • ROTC

Civilian Education:

  • BS, MA University of Maryland