[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 127 (Monday, September 8, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1338]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 HONORING THE LIFE AND DEDICATED SERVICE OF COLONEL ROBERT ``BOB'' W. 
                            GATES, USAF RET.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 8, 2014

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on August 9, 2014, Northwest 
Florida and our Nation lost a warrior--Colonel Robert ``Bob'' W. Gates, 
USAF Retired. Colonel Gates, a devoted family man and decorated 
veteran, honorably served as a member of the Armed Forces for over 
thirty years. He was a member of the Greatest Generation and served in 
three wars. I am humbled to rise and pay tribute to his life, his 
unwavering commitment to service, and his dedication to our Nation's 
heroes and their loved ones.
   Born in Bradley, South Dakota on January 23, 1919, Colonel Gates 
joined the Army Air Corps, prior to World War II, and was commissioned 
as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in April 1942. 
His various tours of duty included commander of the 88th Troop Carrier 
Squadron, a C-47 squadron that dropped paratroopers over Normandy on D-
Day; commander of the 4087th Air Transport Group, tasked with providing 
air supply for the Distant Early Warning Line across the Arctic; and 
commander of the Huron Task Force, which established the Huron radar 
sites on the Greenland Ice Cap. Following his command of the 6200th 
Material Wing at Clark AFB in the Philippines, Colonel Gates became the 
first commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, 
located in the Florida Panhandle and home to the Air Force Special 
Operations Command, before serving as the Inspector General for the 
13th Air Force.
   During his distinguished career spanning three decades, Colonel 
Gates served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War and 
logged over 16,000 flight hours in several aircraft, including his 
assignment to fly entertainer Bob Hope and crew on a USO tour around 
the world. Colonel Gates received a Presidential Citation from 
President Franklin Roosevelt and was awarded the Legion of Merit, the 
Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation medal, 
the French Croix-de-Guerre, and the USO Spirit of Hope Award for his 
lifetime contributions to the USO. Under his leadership, the 1st 
Special Operations Wing was bestowed the Air Force Outstanding Unit 
Award, and Hurlburt Field was named the Most Improved Base in the 
Tactical Air Command.
   Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 1972, Colonel Gates began 
a career in real estate and was integral in the construction of the Bob 
Hope Village, which provides home and care for Air Force widows. From 
1978 to 1983, Colonel Gates served as mayor of Fort Walton Beach. He 
was a founder and charter member of The American Air Museum in Britain 
and the Air Armament Museum at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and was a 
member of various community and veterans organizations, including the 
Elks, Daedalians, Krewe of Bowlegs, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Air 
Commando Association, which inducted Colonel Gates into its Hall of 
Fame.
   To many, Colonel Gates will be remembered for his devotion to his 
country and community, and to his family and friends, a loving family 
man with a great sense of humor. Without question, Colonel Gates lived 
a life full of service and has earned our Nation's highest respect and 
gratitude.
   Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it is a 
privilege for me to honor Colonel Robert W. Gates' lifetime of service. 
My wife Vicki and I extend our prayers and sincere condolences to his 
children--Robert, Bill, Michael, Kimberly, and Kathleen; ten 
grandchildren-Paula, Robert W. Gates III, Steve, Matthew, Sarah, Mary 
Kathryn, Peyton, Austin, Trevor, and Kendall; ten great-grandchildren; 
his loyal companion, Lucky, his rescued dog; and the entire Gates 
family.

                          ____________________