In Memory OfBG Mahlon E. Gates

While at West Point, he delved even deeper into engineering and mathematics, earning him the nickname "Ink." In addition to scholastic achievements, he also served as a Cadet Lieutenant, was a member of the track team and the Dialectic Society, and participated in the comedic "Hundredth Night Show."

In 1942, his class was accelerated due to wartime urgency, and Gates was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, placing him on the fast track to combat deployment. He was deployed to the Pacific and was assigned to the legendary 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), which became known as Merrill's Marauders. In the China-Burma-India Theater, his expertise in engineering made him an integral part of the combat logistics critical to the success of high-risk covert missions to disrupt Japanese supply lines in Burma.

After the Marauders' campaign, Gates was called back to America and reassigned to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and became the Military commander of the Engineer Works. There, he oversaw facilities for the Manhattan Project, handling site logistics for enriching the uranium used in the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which ultimately led to the Japanese surrender.

After the war ended, Gates continued his education and earned a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois. He was then called back to duty when the Korean War broke out, and he served in a supervisory role, overseeing logistical infrastructure for UN forces.

When the conflict ended, Gates attended Harvard University and completed the Advanced Management Program to prepare himself for high-level strategic roles in the military.
This would prove invaluable when he volunteered to go overseas during the Vietnam War. Gates was deployed and attached to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) as the Director of Construction. In-country, he oversaw Support Command operations, ensuring U.S. and allied forces had the infrastructure needed during major counteroffensives, including Operation Cedar Falls and Operation Junction City.

Gates retired from active duty in 1972, but was far from finished protecting our country when he was recruited into the Atomic Energy Commission, later known as the U.S. Department of Energy. The skills he had developed in his 30 years in the military made him the ideal candidate to oversee nuclear weapons testing, manage safety protocols for some of the most sensitive operations in the country, and lead a recovery mission to retrieve a Soviet satellite, Cosmos 954, that crashed in Canada's Northwest Territory. His office also worked closely with the DOD, CIA, and defense contractors on various aerospace projects linked to Area 51, including stealth aircraft testing.

During his service with the Department of Energy, the projects Gates worked on made him realize how unprepared America was to handle the aftermath of a nuclear attack. His firsthand awareness of crisis response gaps led to the creation of the Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST), a specialized unit dedicated to detecting, responding to, and neutralizing radiological and nuclear terrorist threats inside the U.S.

While much of Gates' military and civilian work remains classified, his contributions significantly impacted the outcomes of three of the most consequential conflicts of the 20th century. The post-service foresight he demonstrated laid the foundation for counterterrorism protocols that are still used in national security operations to this day.
For his service, Gates earned the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, and Distinguished Service Medal. Rest easy, Hero! Til Valhalla, Brother!