# William H. Bates

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American politician (1917–1969)

This article is about the American politician. For the alternative eye therapist, see [William Bates (physician)](/source/William_Bates_(physician)). For the United States Navy submarine, see [USS William H. Bates (SSN-680)](/source/USS_William_H._Bates_(SSN-680)).

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William H. Bates Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 6th district In office February 14, 1950 – June 22, 1969 Preceded by George J. Bates Succeeded by Michael J. Harrington Personal details Born William Henry Bates (1917-04-26)April 26, 1917 Salem, Massachusetts, U.S. Died June 22, 1969(1969-06-22) (aged 52) Bethesda, Maryland, U.S. Party Republican Relations John Mulaney (great nephew)[1] Alma mater Brown University, 1940, Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, 1947 Military service Allegiance United States Branch/service United States Navy Rank Ensign Battles/wars World War II *Iwo Jima campaign

**William Henry Bates** (April 26, 1917 – June 22, 1969) was a member of the [United States House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) notable for his staunch support of the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy).

## Life and career

Bates was born in [Salem, Massachusetts](/source/Salem%2C_Massachusetts), the son of Nora (Jennings) and Representative [George J. Bates](/source/George_J._Bates) of the [6th Massachusetts Congressional District](/source/Massachusetts's_6th_congressional_district), who also served as Salem's mayor. He attended local schools and graduated from [Worcester Academy](/source/Worcester_Academy) in 1936. He received his undergraduate education at [Brown University](/source/Brown_University), Providence, R.I., graduating in 1940. Following graduation from Brown, he enlisted in the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) in July 1940 and was commissioned as ensign in the Naval Reserve on January 30, 1941. Bates then received instruction at the Naval Reserve Supply Officer's School at the Naval Medical Center, [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.), before serving successive tours of duty at the [Washington Navy Yard](/source/Washington_Navy_Yard) and in [*Constellation* (IX-20)](/source/USS_Constellation_(IX-20)).

He remained a naval reservist, and by 1949 had become the supply officer for the 4th Naval District. While Bates was stationed there, his father was killed in a plane crash at the [Washington National Airport](/source/Washington_National_Airport) on November 1, 1949.

Bates resigned his reserve commission — he had attained the rank of lieutenant commander by that time — on February 14, 1950, to fill the seat of his late father in the [United States House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives). For nearly two decades, until his death in 1969, Bates staunchly advocated a strong military posture for the United States. On the [Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy](/source/United_States_Congress_Joint_Committee_on_Atomic_Energy) and the [House Armed Services Committee](/source/House_Armed_Services_Committee), he vigorously supported the development of nuclear-powered naval vessels. He also vigorously backed incentive pay programs and the establishment of better housing facilities for servicemen. He constantly sought means to enhance the training, caliber, and morale of military personnel. Bates voted in favor of the [Civil Rights Acts of 1957](/source/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1957),[2] [1960](/source/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1960),[3] [1964](/source/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964),[4] and [1968](/source/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1968),[5] as well as the [24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution](/source/Twenty-fourth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution) and the [Voting Rights Act of 1965](/source/Voting_Rights_Act_of_1965).[6][7]

Bates died of stomach cancer on June 22, 1969.[8] Immediately upon his death, the U.S. Navy [attack submarine](/source/Attack_submarine) [USS *William H. Bates* (SSN-680)](/source/USS_William_H._Bates), originally planned to be named USS *Redfish*, was renamed in his honor before her construction began.

The Bates Bridge, which crosses the [Merrimack River](/source/Merrimack_River) between [Groveland](/source/Groveland%2C_Massachusetts) and [Haverhill](/source/Haverhill%2C_Massachusetts), Massachusetts, is named in his honor.

His great-nephew is comedian [John Mulaney](/source/John_Mulaney), whose maternal grandmother is Bates' sister.

## See also

- [List of members of the United States Congress who died in office (1950–1999)](/source/List_of_members_of_the_United_States_Congress_who_died_in_office_(1950%E2%80%931999))

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** "[Interview with John Mulaney](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I5l64ZmEWY)". *[Late Night with Seth Meyers](/source/Late_Night_with_Seth_Meyers)*. NBC. February 8, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957"](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/h42). *GovTrack.us*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["HR 8601. PASSAGE"](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/86-1960/h102).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["H.R. 7152. PASSAGE"](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/h128).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES"](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/90-1967/h113).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS"](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/87-1962/h193). *GovTrack.us*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT"](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/89-1965/h87).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Special Elections in Massachusetts Have Been Very, Very Good to Democrats"](https://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/03/14/cq_2412.html). *New York Times*. March 14, 2007.

## External links

- United States Congress. ["William H. Bates (id: B000239)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000239). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*.

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by George J. Bates Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 6th congressional district February 14, 1950 - June 22, 1969 Succeeded by Michael J. Harrington

Authority control databases International VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States Israel People US Congress Other SNAC Yale LUX

v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [William H. Bates](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Bates) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Bates?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.