Van of Valor

Reflections of Col. Bates’ 5 decades of service as a Marine

by Dr. Kevin P. Wallace
Co-Founder, Van of Valor

MIAMISBURG, Ohio – As a Purple Heart recipient myself, I know that the stories of our combat-wounded veterans are not just history; they are the bedrock of our nation’s character. 

At Van of Valor, our mission is to ensure these heroes and their families are not forgotten, providing them with the resources and support they need to thrive after their service. It’s a mission that brings me profound purpose, and one that was on my mind as I said with Col. John Bates outside a shooting range near Dayton, Ohio. 

I was ready to honor a man who embodies the very definition of valor.

The year was 1966. America was engaged in a bloody war in Vietnam. At a time when many were turning away from service, Bates did something almost unheard of: he voluntarily dropped out of college to join the Marine Corps.

After fighting in three wars, traveling to roughly 125 countries, and receiving three Purple Hearts for wounds sustained in Vietnam, Bates was retiring. And he was going out like the warrior he is: by parachuting into his own retirement ceremony.

“This Marine’s service to the Corps has spanned across five decades,” said Lt. Gen. Wallace C. Gregson, at Bates’ retirement ceremony. “If you read his biography, you will see a man of tremendous courage and valor.”

Bates’ career began on March 24, 1966, at age 19. “I’d say 95 percent of us from boot camp knew we were going to Vietnam,” Bates recalled. “I thought I knew what to expect, but the truth was, I did not.”

Assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment on the DMZ, he was immediately in the thick of the fight. During one patrol, his unit called in an airstrike on a sniper position, unaware the enemy had dug tunnels for protection.

“As we scoured the area, they emerged and opened fire,” Bates said. “I was wearing a flak jacket when I was hit. The round went through the jacket and into my lung. I was in the hospital for 23 days in intensive care.”

A month later, he was back in action after leaving the hospital against doctor’s orders. “I was still spitting up blood,” he chuckled. “But my platoon commander was glad to have me back. He honestly did not think I would make it.”

With only one lung working, Bates kept fighting. In another close-quarters battle, he silenced an enemy fighter with a grenade, taking shrapnel in his thigh for his second Purple Heart. Shortly after, a sniper attack forced him to jump for cover into what turned out to be a punji stake trap.

“A stake went right through my foot,” he said. “I think this was the worst injury of the three because I couldn’t walk.”

When he finally returned stateside, his company first sergeant told him to pack his bags; he was being discharged. But Bates fought to stay in the Marine Corps as fiercely as he had on the battlefield. He earned his degrees and relentlessly submitted applications for Officer Candidate School.

“They kept coming back stamped ‘denied,’” he said. “I applied so many times I think they just got tired of seeing my name. They finally accepted me in the summer of 1975.”

His career soared from there, including service in Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. In a final, poignant act, he promoted his son, Capt. Josh Bates, to his current rank.

Listening to his story, I was struck by the sheer tenacity—the same spirit we see in the veterans Van of Valor is privileged to support. His final words of advice to Marines are a creed we can all live by: “Always do the right thing regardless of the circumstances… Do it for your Marines, and I assure you, they will always make you look better than you can by yourself.”

Colonel Bates, from one Purple Heart recipient to another, your legacy is a powerful reminder of why our mission at Van of Valor is so critical. Thank you for your service, your sacrifice, and your example.

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