The Paul L. Bates Memorial
Scholarship Fund was established in 1999 under the terms of
Colonel Bates' will, and is administered and maintained by the
Board of Trustees of McDaniel
College in Westminster, Maryland (formerly named Western
Maryland College.) The Scholarship was established in memory of
Colonel Paul L. Bates, Class of 1931, an All-American football
player at the College, and commander of the 761st Tank
Battalion, the first all African American combat tank battalion
in World War II, a unit recognized by the President of the
United States for extreme gallantry in action. The Scholarship,
established as a tribute to the brave men who fought under the
command of Col. Bates, provides awards for lineal descendants of
members of the 761st Tank Battalion who served with the unit
from August 1944 through April 1945. Recipients must be accepted
to and attend McDaniel College, must possess and maintain a 2.0
grade point average (GPA) at McDaniel College and demonstrate
financial need. In the event that no lineal descendants apply or
are eligible, the Scholarship is awarded annually to a student
with a 2.0 GPA or better demonstrating financial need, and
excelling in extracurricular activities. McDaniel College is a
private four-year college of the liberal arts and sciences where
students from 23 states and 19 countries prepare for lives of
leadership and service. A flexible curricula at both
undergraduate and master’s degree levels, strong teaching, and
location – near Baltimore and Washington, D.C. – provides
students with an outstanding learning experience. For more
information visit the McDaniel College web site at www.mcdaniel.edu. Further information on
how to apply may be obtained from the Dean of Admissions (email:
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, phone: 1-800-638-5005, v/tdd 410-848-7000.) For information on scholarships and financial aid contact the
Director of Financial Aid at email:
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, phone: 410-857-2233.
Letter Requesting Help Identifying Descendants of 761st Veterans for
Bates Memorial Scholarship Fund (and also as potential members of the Association)
May 1, 2010
Dear
Colleague,
The Paul L.
Bates Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1999 in
memory of Colonel Paul Bates at Western Maryland College (now
known as McDaniel College).The scholarship was established as a
tribute to the men who served with Colonel Bates from August
1944 through April 1945 and provides awards for lineal
descendants of members of the 761st Tank
Battalion.
Recently
Colonel Bates’ widow, Mrs. Helen “Taffy” Bates has expressed
concern that no descendants of the Battalion have ever taken
advantage of the scholarship fund. A scholarship must be awarded
every year even when there are no descendants of the 761st
applying. This is lost money and opportunity to the 761st
descendants whose predecessors fought so bravely
for.
There were well
over 600 original battalion members. I know that there are many
grandchildren and great-grandchildren descended from them. In my
family alone there are 11 grandchildren and 5
great-grandchildren descended from my father. Part of the
problem may be that very few people know about the scholarship;
also, there has never been a comprehensive list to identify
battalion members, much less lineal
descendants.
To help with
this, I have enclosed a form that can be used to start building
a data base with the names and addresses of all former 761st
members and their descendants. Please fill it out with whatever
information you have. If you know of anyone that may not have
received the form, copy it and pass it on. If you know of any
former battalion member that has passed, fill in what you know
or forward the form to a family member.
This was very
important to Colonel Bates and Mrs. Bates feels it is very
important to his legacy – please help!
Sincerely,
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(Please Click here for the form enclosed with
the letter.)
Basketball Hall-of-Famer Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar received an honorary degree and an Army Coin of
Excellence at the McDaniel College Founders Convocation on
September 29, 2007, for authoring Brothers In Arms: The Epic Story of the
761st Tank Battalion, WWII's Forgotten Heroes.
The book is dedicated to the 761st Tank Battalion's commander,
1931 McDaniel College alumnus and Silver Star recipient Colonel
Paul Levern Bates. As a student, Paul Bates was captain of
McDaniel College's undefeated 1930 football team, and an
All-American in 1929 and 1930. A Trustee Alumni Award was
posthumously awarded to Col. Bates during the convocation, and
was accepted by his son Baron Bates. The Paul L. Bates Memorial
Scholarship Fund, providing awards for lineal descendants of
members of the 761st Tank Battalion, established in 1999 under
the terms of Colonel Bates' will, is administered and maintained
by the McDaniel College Board of Trustees.
