Brigadier General Mahlon E. Gates
Brigadier General Mahlon E. "Ink" Gates (Find A Grave) |
Army General
Notes:
• General Mahlon E. Gates is on a list in James Record's book with this heading: "At least seventy-three generals and admirals have called Madison County home, at least for a short time. A large number were natives, while some served in the County during a term of military service. Many were commissioned in the Alabama State Militia. Probably no county in America of comparable size, can lay claim to more." - Record
• "Brig. Gen. Mahlon E. Gates
Military: U.S. Army, 1942-1972
Survived by: His wife, Esther, of San Antonio; a son, Larry Alan Gates and his wife, Jayme, of Memphis; three daughters, Pamela Townley Gates of Denver; Susan Van Dyke and her husband, George, of Dallas, Judy Campbell Campbell and her husband, Richard, of Wilmington, Del.; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren
Quite literally, the world is safer today because of Brig. Gen. Mahlon E. Gates.
A West Point-trained engineer, he was one of the founders of the Nuclear Emergency Search Team, which has the responsibility of finding hidden or stolen nuclear explosives. His life and career led him to supervise nuclear bomb testing in Nevada, lead the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and serve as a vice president at the Southwest Research Institute here.
Gates, 89, died Oct. 17 of natural causes.
He grew up in Pennsylvania, the son of a railroad worker. He received an appointment to West Point and went straight from graduation into World War II. With his engineering skills, he spent most of his time working to build bridges. On one of those assignments in Burma, he fought with the famed Merrill's Marauders. For that, he received the Bronze Star.
His engineering work continued in Vietnam, where he was responsible for building bridges and other structures.
After he retired from the Army in 1972, he focused on nuclear weapons as the manager of the Nevada Operations Office in Las Vegas. There he oversaw the operations of the nuclear test site in Nevada, a vital location for demonstrating American power during the Cold War. Even today, many of his activities are still classified.
In that position, he directed a team that traveled to Canada's Northwest Territories to track down a downed nuclear-powered Soviet satellite. He helped establish the nuclear search team, which is now called the Nuclear Emergency Support Team and can respond worldwide.
While Gates was in Las Vegas, he also served as the director of that city's chamber of commerce. His wife, Esther, said the state Republican party had approached him to run as their candidate for governor. He declined.
He left Las Vegas and came to San Antonio in 1983 to serve as senior vice president of operations at the Southwest Research Institute. The institute's president, J. Dan Bates, called him an 'exceptional person' who 'provided critical leadership.'
In all of his positions, Gates introduced himself by with an old family nickname: 'Call me Ink.'" - mysanantonio.com
• "Mahlon Eugene "Ink" Gates was born in Tyrone, PA, Aug. 21, 1919 and died Oct. 17, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. Graduate U.S. Military Academy, West Point 1942; University of Illinois, M/S, Civil Eng, 1948; Harvard, Advanced Mgmt 1965; U.S. Army Schools and Colleges, World War II, India-Burma Theater; 1945-47, Manhattan Engineer Dist., Oak Ridge, Tenn.; 1945-June 1947, Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Wash. D.C.; 1948-1952; Engr Bat. Europe 1953-1954; SHAPE Hqs, Paris 1956-57; JCS (Pentagon) 1957-60; Iran 1960-61; Army Personnel Directorate 1962-64; Army General Staff 1964-66. CG Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam 1966-67; CG Dept of Defense Construction Program, Vietnam 1967, CG Army Safeguard Logistics Command, Deputy Dir. R&D Army Material Command. Retired 1972. Bronze Star Medal 1946, Distinguished Service Medal 1967, Legion of Merit 1972. Manager Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy, Las Vegas, NV, 1972-83. Served briefly as Acting Asst Secretary of Energy, Washington D.C. Led US Science Team to N.W. Territories during recover for crashed nuclear Russian satellite, 1978. Founder of US Nuclear Search Team (NEST) now protecting our Country from nuclear terrorists. Director, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Established Southern Nevada Federal Executive Association; Director, Nevada Development Authority, Advisory Board, Desert Research Institute, Un. of Nevada, Organizer Continental National Bank, Las Vegas, NV; Past President Boulder Dam Area Council Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award; past Chairman Advisory Board Clark Country Community Colleges. Administrator of the Year, American Society of Public Administration; Department of Energy's Outstanding Service Award and Meritorious Executive Award. Senior Executive Service Distinguished Executive Award. Sr. Vice President, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 1982-89, Member Rotary International; Harvard Breakfast Club; Majestic Club (a founder); K Supper Club; Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Civil Engineering, Director USAA Bank Board. He leaves his devoted wife of 36 years, Esther B. Campbell Gates; four children: Larry Alan Gates, wife Jayme; daughters, Pamela Townley Gates, Susan Van Dyke, husband George; Judy Campbell Campbell, husband Richard. Six grandchildren; Keith Richard Campbell, wife Alice; Kimberlee Bullock, husband Joel; Erika Moe, husband Ryan; Keisha Burgess, husband Douglas, Sally Lawrence Gates; Emily Grimm, husband Daniel; eight great-grandchildren and his devoted caregiver, Rosella Munoz. Ink's service will be held, Friday, October 24th at 10:00 a.m. at the Post "Gift" Chapel, 1605 Wilson, SA TX 78234, at Fort Sam Houston. Picture ID required for entry to the Post. Internment with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 11:30 AM followed by a reception at THE TOWERS, 1 Towers Park Lane outside the North Gate of Fort Sam Houston (off Harry Wurzbach) on the first floor. - Express News
• "Mahlon Eugene 'Ink' Gates, was born in Tyrone, PA, on 21 Aug 1919 and entered West Point in 1938. He was a member of the track team, the Dialectic Society and the One Hundredth Night Show, was a 'K' lieutenant and cadet instructor. He was proud of his Howitzer bio, 'Loyal, good-natured, amiable 'Ink' possessed more than his share of what is indispensable for a cadet career-a sense of humor.'
Ink attended the Engineer Officer's Basic Course at Ft. Belvoir, VA, and proceeded to Camp Crowder, MO, to join the 44th Engineer Regiment. In 1942 he returned briefly to West Point and married Patricia Lawrence, who gave him two wonderful children, Pamela and Larry. As commander of the 236th Combat Battalion, he was sent to the China-Burma-India Theater and served briefly with Merrill's Marauders. In 1945 he was assigned to the Manhattan District in Oak Ridge, TN, and became a part of the team associated with the final preparation of uranium components for shipment to the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico where these components were reduced to metal for the manufacture of the atomic bombs that ended World War II.
He attended the University of Illinois and received a master's degree in civil engineering. He then was assigned to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project in the Pentagon. After a year in the Engineer Officers Advanced Course, he commanded the 118th Engineer Combat Battalion in Germany and served in Heidelberg in the G-4 Division of the U.S. Army-Europe, and then went on to Paris and the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe. School at Ft. Leavenworth was followed by a tour as Assistant to the Director, Joint Staff, in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He then was assigned to Iran, serving as Area Engineer of the Gulf District building cantonments for the Iranian Army. After the Army War College, Ink went to Ft. Benning as commander of the 1151st Engineer Group and earned his jump wings.
After duty as Director of the Engineer Officers Assignment Branch in the Pentagon, followed by a tour with the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, he attended Harvard Business School. Ink volunteered for duty in Viet Nam and earned his star as commanding general of the Cam Ranh Bay Logistics Command and Director of Construction on GEN Westmoreland's staff. After a 20-month tour in Viet Nam, he assumed command of the Safeguard Logistics Command, with his final assignment as Deputy Director of Research and Development in the Army Material Command.
Having been divorced, Ink and I met and were married on the 4th of July 1972. I brought two daughters into this happy marriage, Susan and Judy Campbell. He was appointed manager of the Nevada Office of the Atomic Energy Commission, later the Department of Energy, and we moved to Las Vegas, NV, where Ink oversaw 200 successful underground tests and established the Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST), involved with the weapons laboratories of Livermore, Los Alamos, Sandia and the FBI in anti-terrorist activities, which is still protecting our world. He was the leader of the U.S. team of 120 scientists and engineers in Operation Morning Light, the search for the remnants of the nuclear powered Russian Satellite that crashed in the Northwest Territories of Canada in January 1978.
Ink briefly served as acting assistant secretary of energy during the early months of the Reagan Administration. He retired from the Department of Energy in December 1982 to accept the position of senior vice president of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX. There he directed the preparation of a proposal to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to establish the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analysis.
Ink retired from SWRI on 1 Dec 1989, and after this third retirement we participated in many civic activities and traveled the world, visiting 26 countries and sailing the seas. His greatest joy came from the close relationship he shared with his four children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
His decorations include the Bronze Star, Air Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and numerous civilian awards and decorations. He died 17 Oct 2008 in San Antonio, TX, and was buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery with full military honors. Services were conducted by Lorraine K. Potter, Chaplain, Major General, USAF (Ret)." - West Point
• He led the federal bomb hunting team from 1975 to 1982, published a book titled Preventing Nuclear Terrorism. There were several references to the book, but we were unable to find a copy. - Editor's Note
• World War II, Korea, Vietnam - Find A Grave
Related Links:
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Record
| Born: | August 21, 1919, Tyrone, Pennyslvania |
| Died: | October 17, 2008, San Antonio, Texas |
| Buried: | Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas |
Notes:
• General Mahlon E. Gates is on a list in James Record's book with this heading: "At least seventy-three generals and admirals have called Madison County home, at least for a short time. A large number were natives, while some served in the County during a term of military service. Many were commissioned in the Alabama State Militia. Probably no county in America of comparable size, can lay claim to more." - Record
• "Brig. Gen. Mahlon E. Gates
Military: U.S. Army, 1942-1972
Survived by: His wife, Esther, of San Antonio; a son, Larry Alan Gates and his wife, Jayme, of Memphis; three daughters, Pamela Townley Gates of Denver; Susan Van Dyke and her husband, George, of Dallas, Judy Campbell Campbell and her husband, Richard, of Wilmington, Del.; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren
Quite literally, the world is safer today because of Brig. Gen. Mahlon E. Gates.
A West Point-trained engineer, he was one of the founders of the Nuclear Emergency Search Team, which has the responsibility of finding hidden or stolen nuclear explosives. His life and career led him to supervise nuclear bomb testing in Nevada, lead the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and serve as a vice president at the Southwest Research Institute here.
Gates, 89, died Oct. 17 of natural causes.
He grew up in Pennsylvania, the son of a railroad worker. He received an appointment to West Point and went straight from graduation into World War II. With his engineering skills, he spent most of his time working to build bridges. On one of those assignments in Burma, he fought with the famed Merrill's Marauders. For that, he received the Bronze Star.
His engineering work continued in Vietnam, where he was responsible for building bridges and other structures.
After he retired from the Army in 1972, he focused on nuclear weapons as the manager of the Nevada Operations Office in Las Vegas. There he oversaw the operations of the nuclear test site in Nevada, a vital location for demonstrating American power during the Cold War. Even today, many of his activities are still classified.
In that position, he directed a team that traveled to Canada's Northwest Territories to track down a downed nuclear-powered Soviet satellite. He helped establish the nuclear search team, which is now called the Nuclear Emergency Support Team and can respond worldwide.
While Gates was in Las Vegas, he also served as the director of that city's chamber of commerce. His wife, Esther, said the state Republican party had approached him to run as their candidate for governor. He declined.
He left Las Vegas and came to San Antonio in 1983 to serve as senior vice president of operations at the Southwest Research Institute. The institute's president, J. Dan Bates, called him an 'exceptional person' who 'provided critical leadership.'
In all of his positions, Gates introduced himself by with an old family nickname: 'Call me Ink.'" - mysanantonio.com
• "Mahlon Eugene "Ink" Gates was born in Tyrone, PA, Aug. 21, 1919 and died Oct. 17, 2008 in San Antonio, Texas. Graduate U.S. Military Academy, West Point 1942; University of Illinois, M/S, Civil Eng, 1948; Harvard, Advanced Mgmt 1965; U.S. Army Schools and Colleges, World War II, India-Burma Theater; 1945-47, Manhattan Engineer Dist., Oak Ridge, Tenn.; 1945-June 1947, Armed Forces Special Weapons Project, Wash. D.C.; 1948-1952; Engr Bat. Europe 1953-1954; SHAPE Hqs, Paris 1956-57; JCS (Pentagon) 1957-60; Iran 1960-61; Army Personnel Directorate 1962-64; Army General Staff 1964-66. CG Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam 1966-67; CG Dept of Defense Construction Program, Vietnam 1967, CG Army Safeguard Logistics Command, Deputy Dir. R&D Army Material Command. Retired 1972. Bronze Star Medal 1946, Distinguished Service Medal 1967, Legion of Merit 1972. Manager Nevada Operations Office, Department of Energy, Las Vegas, NV, 1972-83. Served briefly as Acting Asst Secretary of Energy, Washington D.C. Led US Science Team to N.W. Territories during recover for crashed nuclear Russian satellite, 1978. Founder of US Nuclear Search Team (NEST) now protecting our Country from nuclear terrorists. Director, Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Established Southern Nevada Federal Executive Association; Director, Nevada Development Authority, Advisory Board, Desert Research Institute, Un. of Nevada, Organizer Continental National Bank, Las Vegas, NV; Past President Boulder Dam Area Council Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award; past Chairman Advisory Board Clark Country Community Colleges. Administrator of the Year, American Society of Public Administration; Department of Energy's Outstanding Service Award and Meritorious Executive Award. Senior Executive Service Distinguished Executive Award. Sr. Vice President, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 1982-89, Member Rotary International; Harvard Breakfast Club; Majestic Club (a founder); K Supper Club; Who's Who in America, Who's Who in Civil Engineering, Director USAA Bank Board. He leaves his devoted wife of 36 years, Esther B. Campbell Gates; four children: Larry Alan Gates, wife Jayme; daughters, Pamela Townley Gates, Susan Van Dyke, husband George; Judy Campbell Campbell, husband Richard. Six grandchildren; Keith Richard Campbell, wife Alice; Kimberlee Bullock, husband Joel; Erika Moe, husband Ryan; Keisha Burgess, husband Douglas, Sally Lawrence Gates; Emily Grimm, husband Daniel; eight great-grandchildren and his devoted caregiver, Rosella Munoz. Ink's service will be held, Friday, October 24th at 10:00 a.m. at the Post "Gift" Chapel, 1605 Wilson, SA TX 78234, at Fort Sam Houston. Picture ID required for entry to the Post. Internment with full military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 11:30 AM followed by a reception at THE TOWERS, 1 Towers Park Lane outside the North Gate of Fort Sam Houston (off Harry Wurzbach) on the first floor. - Express News
• "Mahlon Eugene 'Ink' Gates, was born in Tyrone, PA, on 21 Aug 1919 and entered West Point in 1938. He was a member of the track team, the Dialectic Society and the One Hundredth Night Show, was a 'K' lieutenant and cadet instructor. He was proud of his Howitzer bio, 'Loyal, good-natured, amiable 'Ink' possessed more than his share of what is indispensable for a cadet career-a sense of humor.'
Ink attended the Engineer Officer's Basic Course at Ft. Belvoir, VA, and proceeded to Camp Crowder, MO, to join the 44th Engineer Regiment. In 1942 he returned briefly to West Point and married Patricia Lawrence, who gave him two wonderful children, Pamela and Larry. As commander of the 236th Combat Battalion, he was sent to the China-Burma-India Theater and served briefly with Merrill's Marauders. In 1945 he was assigned to the Manhattan District in Oak Ridge, TN, and became a part of the team associated with the final preparation of uranium components for shipment to the Los Alamos Laboratory in New Mexico where these components were reduced to metal for the manufacture of the atomic bombs that ended World War II.
He attended the University of Illinois and received a master's degree in civil engineering. He then was assigned to the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project in the Pentagon. After a year in the Engineer Officers Advanced Course, he commanded the 118th Engineer Combat Battalion in Germany and served in Heidelberg in the G-4 Division of the U.S. Army-Europe, and then went on to Paris and the Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe. School at Ft. Leavenworth was followed by a tour as Assistant to the Director, Joint Staff, in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He then was assigned to Iran, serving as Area Engineer of the Gulf District building cantonments for the Iranian Army. After the Army War College, Ink went to Ft. Benning as commander of the 1151st Engineer Group and earned his jump wings.
After duty as Director of the Engineer Officers Assignment Branch in the Pentagon, followed by a tour with the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, he attended Harvard Business School. Ink volunteered for duty in Viet Nam and earned his star as commanding general of the Cam Ranh Bay Logistics Command and Director of Construction on GEN Westmoreland's staff. After a 20-month tour in Viet Nam, he assumed command of the Safeguard Logistics Command, with his final assignment as Deputy Director of Research and Development in the Army Material Command.
Having been divorced, Ink and I met and were married on the 4th of July 1972. I brought two daughters into this happy marriage, Susan and Judy Campbell. He was appointed manager of the Nevada Office of the Atomic Energy Commission, later the Department of Energy, and we moved to Las Vegas, NV, where Ink oversaw 200 successful underground tests and established the Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST), involved with the weapons laboratories of Livermore, Los Alamos, Sandia and the FBI in anti-terrorist activities, which is still protecting our world. He was the leader of the U.S. team of 120 scientists and engineers in Operation Morning Light, the search for the remnants of the nuclear powered Russian Satellite that crashed in the Northwest Territories of Canada in January 1978.
Ink briefly served as acting assistant secretary of energy during the early months of the Reagan Administration. He retired from the Department of Energy in December 1982 to accept the position of senior vice president of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX. There he directed the preparation of a proposal to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to establish the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analysis.
Ink retired from SWRI on 1 Dec 1989, and after this third retirement we participated in many civic activities and traveled the world, visiting 26 countries and sailing the seas. His greatest joy came from the close relationship he shared with his four children, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
His decorations include the Bronze Star, Air Medal, Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and numerous civilian awards and decorations. He died 17 Oct 2008 in San Antonio, TX, and was buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery with full military honors. Services were conducted by Lorraine K. Potter, Chaplain, Major General, USAF (Ret)." - West Point
• He led the federal bomb hunting team from 1975 to 1982, published a book titled Preventing Nuclear Terrorism. There were several references to the book, but we were unable to find a copy. - Editor's Note
• World War II, Korea, Vietnam - Find A Grave
Related Links:
• Army Research and Development - Article titled "SENLOG Slates Move to Alabama" on pages 1 & 4 tells of the plans and General Gates role in it. (Originally found at http://asc.army.mil/docs/pubs/alt/archives/1968/Jul-Aug_1968.PDF.)
• Express News - Express News Obituary on Oct. 22, 2009.
• Find A Grave - Originally created by Bruce Hicks and maintained by Dick Gates. Photo by Dick Gates.
• mysanantonio.com (Originally found at http://forum.prisonplanet.com/index.php?topic=67873.0;wap2.)
• Record - A Dream Come True: The Story of Madison County and Incidentally of Alabama and the United States, Volume I, by James Record, 1970, page 373.
• West Point - Obituary (Originally found at http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/12705/.)
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Record