[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 126 (Thursday, July 25, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING THE LIFE OF ROY BATES

  (Mr. BARR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a very 
special man and my good friend, Roy Bates of Winchester, Kentucky.
  Mr. Bates, a true patriot, passed away on July 4, 2019, on 
Independence Day, appropriately.
  Roy Bates was quite eager to serve his country and attempted 
unsuccessfully to enlist in the Navy and the Army when he was not yet 
of legal age. In 1950, when he was 18 years old, he enlisted in the 
Marine Corps and went to Parris Island for training.
  He was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Regiment, 1st 
Division. He was soon sent to Korea to join his fellow marines.
  On September 1, 1951, just 3 days before his 19th birthday, Mr. Bates 
was on patrol when his group was ambushed. They were taking heavy fire. 
Crawling on his belly, trying to reach cover, he heard the dreaded 
click of a land mine beneath him. His left leg was blown away, and his 
right leg sustained numerous wounds.
  Severely wounded, he was carried off the field by two fellow marines. 
One of those who carried him off was killed in action a few days later. 
Many years later, Mr. Bates was reunited with Royce Henry, the other 
marine who saved him.
  Mr. Bates spent 7 years in and out of hospitals and had 32 surgeries. 
He received a Purple Heart as well as numerous other medals.
  He married his wife, Betty, and they had four children.
  Mr. Bates eventually returned home to Winchester, where he always 
cherished a deep love for his country and for the Marine Corps.
  He was a well-respected member of his community who exemplified good 
character and a positive attitude all of his life.
  Mr. Bates and his fellow veterans are true heroes. He willingly 
served to protect and defend the freedoms that we enjoy today. He faced 
life with unwavering faith in God and love of country.
  Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to honor the life of Mr. Roy Bates before 
the United States Congress.

                          ____________________