William Finnic Cates
Encyclopedia
William Finnie Cates was a United States
naval hero of World War II
who was the namesake for a Navy
destroyer escort
that saw service later in that war.
, April 30, 1916. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on January 21, 1942.
While serving as Seaman Second Class in , Cates was killed in action November 12, 1942 when a Japanese torpedo plane, which he kept under fire while refusing to leave his station, crashed aboard the ship. For this heroism, he received the Navy Cross
posthumously.
, sponsored by Mrs. P. Dyer, and, commissioned December 15, 1943.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
naval hero of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who was the namesake for a Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
that saw service later in that war.
Life
Cates was born in Drummonds, TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, April 30, 1916. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on January 21, 1942.
While serving as Seaman Second Class in , Cates was killed in action November 12, 1942 when a Japanese torpedo plane, which he kept under fire while refusing to leave his station, crashed aboard the ship. For this heroism, he received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
posthumously.
Namesake
was named in his honor. The ship was launched October 10, 1943 by Tampa Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Tampa, FloridaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, sponsored by Mrs. P. Dyer, and, commissioned December 15, 1943.