Heroes Spotlight: John J. Gately

The following is the latest installment in an occasional series by Rich Carrara spotlighting the sacrifice and heroism of Canton veterans who were killed in action.

As shown on his World War II draft registration card, John Gately was born on May 15, 1917, in Hyde Park. At the time he registered for the draft he was 23 years of age and lived on Lewis Street in Canton.

Tech 5 John J. Gately

According to a bio prepared by the Canton Veterans Department, Gately attended St. John School and later Canton High School, graduating with the Class of 1935. Standing six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds, he played left guard on the CHS football team and was known for his skill and toughness.

Gately entered the Army on December 17, 1942, and spent considerable time training in the United States in radio communications and intelligence gathering. These special skills enabled him to achieve the Tech 5 rating, which earned him the rank of corporal. The insignia of the Tech 5 patch is two stripes for corporal and the letter T, signifying technical skills.

Gately was sent overseas sometime in 1944 and was attached to Company I of the 18th Infantry Regiment of the famous 1st Infantry Division, forever known as “The Big Red One” (which traced its inception back to World War I). It is not known for sure if Gately was part of the D-Day operation, when the 1st  Division stormed Omaha Beach at Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944.

What is known is that T5 Gately was engaged with the battle of Bütgenbach, Belgium, on January 20, 1945. He was officially listed as missing in action as of that date on the Company I Morning Report of January 24, 1945, having been involved in the fierce battle for the village of Nidrum, a section of Bütgenbach.

The renowned “Battle of the Bulge” began on December 16, 1944, and ended on January 28, 1945, before all previous battle lines were restored. It was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. But the initial breakthrough was halted on December 27, 1944. Thus, T5 Gately was involved in the turnaround of the Battle of the Bulge on January 20, when he went missing. The Battle of the Bulge was the costliest operation ever fought by the U.S. Army, with 10,733 American soldiers killed and 42,316 wounded.

The 1st Infantry Division had a pivotal role during that winter battle, holding the northern shoulder of the “bulge” in Büllingen/Bütgenbach. Here, units of the division repelled determined German attacks by the 12th SS Panzer Division from December 18-24, 1944. They held the northern shoulder of the German penetration and blocked the German 6th SS Panzer Army’s attempt to drive at high speed from Büllingen to the Belgian province of Liège.

T5 John J. Gately is buried in Plot D, Row 9, Grave 60 at the Henri-Chapelle American cemetery in eastern Belgium. He was 27 years of age.

Many thanks to Denise Torre for her editorial assistance in the final preparation of this story.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Jul 6 2023. Filed under Canton History, Featured Content. Both comments and pings are currently closed.