World War II veteran Harry Coates reflects on time in South Pacific By LEIGH PROM Nov 23, 2018 Nov 23, 2018 Updated May 16, 2019 0 Veteran Harry Coates, 96, served the Army during World War II. He recently returned to Rocky Mount to participate in the Veterans Day ceremony. Photo courtesy of Harry Coates Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save By LEIGH PROM A new chapter in life awaits World War II veteran Harry Coates as he recently celebrated his 96th birthday and moved to Pennsylvania.kAmr@2E6D C6EFC?65 62C=:6C E9:D >@?E9 E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ’D '6E6C2?D s2J 46C6>@?J 2E E96 uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ '6E6C2?D’ |6>@C:2= !2C<] w6 H2D @?6 @7 E9C66 (@C=5 (2C xx G6E6C2?D H9@ 2EE6?565 WE96 @E96CD H6C6 (2=E6C y@?6D 2?5 y:> w6?56CD@?X E96 2??F2= 6G6?E]k^AmkAm$A6?5 E:>6 E2=<:?8 H:E9 r@2E6D 2?5 9:DE@CJ 4@>6D 2=:G6] uC@> `hca E@ `hcd H:E9 E96 pC>J’D D:8?2= 4@CAD[ r@2E6D >256 7:G6 2>A9:3:@FD =2?5:?8D :? E96 $@FE9 !24:7:4] p 3@2E H@F=5 3C:?8 9:D 8C@FA 4=@D6 E@ D9@C6 2?5 =6E E96> @FE :? E96 H2E6C] %96? E96J H@F=5 2AAC@249 E96 D9@C6 2?5 42C67F==J A@D:E:@? E96>D6=G6D E@ 36 23=6 E@ AC@G:56 :?7@C>2E:@? 7C@> =2?5 E@ D62 2D E@ 9@H E@ 7:89E E96 32EE=6]k^Am People are also reading… Lawsuit against state trooper on behalf of Franklin County girl moves forward 12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025 Kids invited to annual Cops and Bobbers event by Rocky Mount PD 2 Franklin County softball players among those to watch in Southwest Virginia Budget woes complicate residents' push for new dog park in Franklin County Cyanobacteria up in Smith Mountain Lake, but no harmful algal blooms last year Martinsville to scrap purchasing cards after scrutiny of $1.4M in spending This Rocky Mount police dog focuses on head pats instead of patrols Chip Sullivan, golfer and instructor 'loved by so many,' dies at 61 Roanoke County family files lawsuit against VHSL, school board over homeschool sports rule Spanberger signs 22 bills, including one concerning pharmacy benefit managers Lake Days gets students up close to nature at Smith Mountain Lake kAm“%96 y2A2?6D6 H6C6 4F??:?8[” r@2E6D C642==65 H96? 56D4C:3:?8 H92E :E H2D =:<6 E@ >@G6 @?E@ 2? :D=2?5] “%96J’5 =2J @? E96 8C@F?5 2?5 H2:E[ =J:?8 E96C6 =@@<:?8 =:<6 E96J H6C6 5625 H96? C62==J E96J H6C6?’E] (6 5:5?’E ECFDE E96>] (6 =62C?65] %96J H6C6 2 DEF33@C? 8C@FA] *@F 925 E@ A@F?5 E96>[ A@F?5 E96> 367@C6 E96J 82G6 FA]”k^AmkAmp7E6C 9:D 7:7E9 2>A9:3:@FD =2?5:?8[ E9:D @?6 :? E96 !9:=:AA:?6D[ r@2E6D C64<@?65 96 ?6IE H@F=5 92G6 366? D6?E E@ y2A2?] “%96 2E@>:4 3@>3 >2J 92G6 D2G65 >J =:76[” 96 D2:5]k^AmkAm(96? 2D<65 23@FE 9:D >@DE 7C:89E6?:?8 E:>6 2E H2C[ r@2E6D D2:5 96 H2D 762C7F= 7:G6 E:>6D ,5FC:?8 E9@D6 7:G6 =2?5:?8D.] “|J >@> 5:5?’E C2:D6 2? :5:@E[” 96 D2:5] “q6:?8 D42C65 H:== <66A J@F 2=:G6] *@F 5@?’E 5@ DEFA:5 E9:?8D]”k^Am kAmr@2E6D 6?=:DE65 :? E96 pC>J 2E 286 a` D@ 96 4@F=5 A:4< 9:D ;@3 :?DE625 @7 :E 36:?8 2DD:8?65 E@ 9:>] p7E6C E96 H2C[ 96 H@C<65 2D 2 EC@F3=6D9@@E6C 7@C 2 4@>A2?J E92E >256 C25:@D 2?5 =2E6C 7@C E96 E6=6A9@?6 4@>A2?J 367@C6 C6E:C:?8 27E6C bc J62CD]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio kAm~G6C E96 J62CD[ r@2E6D DE2J65 24E:G6 H:E9 E96 '6E6C2?D @7 u@C6:8? (2CD 2?5 D6CG65 2D AC6D:56?E @7 E96 r2==2H2J #FC:E2? r=F3]k^AmkAmw6 2=D@ H2D 2 <6J @C82?:K6C :? 6DE23=:D9:?8 E96 4@F?EJ’D '6E6C2?D’ |6>@C:2= !2C< :? #@4<J |@F?E] “}@H 6G6CJ G6E6C2?D 8C@FA 92D 2 A=246 E@ 4@>6 2?5 5@ E96:C E9:?8[” 96 D2:5]k^Am kAmr92C=:6 q64<H:E9[ 2 76==@H #FC:E2? >6>36C[ DA@<6 9:89=J @7 r@2E6D] “x 92G6 2 8C62E C682C5 7@C E92E 76==@H[” 96 D2:5] p=E9@F89 r@2E6D >@G65 E@ !6??DJ=G2?:2 E@ =:G6 H:E9 52F89E6C %@?:[ E96 EH@ DE:== DE2J :? E@F49]k^Am kAmu2>:=J :D 2=D@ :>A@CE2?E E@ r@2E6D] w6 2?5 9:D 7:CDE H:76[ v=25JD[ H6C6 >2CC:65 7@C >@C6 E92? d_ J62CD 2?5 925 7:G6 49:=5C6?] w:D DFCG:G:?8 D@?[ w2CCJ[ =:G6D :? }6H y6CD6J[ 52F89E6C !2EE: =:G6D :? }6H *@C< 2?5 %@?: :? !6??DJ=G2?:2] w6 2=D@ 92D EH@ DE6A52F89E6CD 2?5 @?6 DE6AD@? H:E9 9:D D64@?5 H:76[ %96C6D2]k^AmkAm“x 42?’E 6G6? AFE :?E@ H@C5D 9@H DA64:2= >J 72E96C :D] w6’D ;FDE 6G6CJE9:?8 E@ >6] w6 E2F89E FD H92E :E’D =:<6 E@ 36 ECF6 p>6C:42?D[” D2:5 52F89E6C !2EE:]k^Am kAm“xE’D G6CJ 62DJ E@ 36 2 8@@5 72E96C H96? J@F 92G6 8C62E <:5D[” r@2E6D D2:5]k^Am kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ 36:?8 AC@F5 @7 9:D <:5D[ r@2E6D :D 9@?@C65 E@ 92G6 D6CG65 9:D 4@F?ECJ]k^Am kAm“x 5:5 >J 5FEJ[” 96 D2:5] “~FC 4@F?ECJ H2D 2EE24<65 2?5 H6 7@F89E 324<] (6 5:5 H92E H6 925 E@ 5@ 2?5 >@G65 @?]”k^Am 0 comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Lawsuit against state trooper on behalf of Franklin County girl moves forward The trooper is accused of chasing a motorist who was rushing his critically ill daughter to LewisGale Medical Center. 12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle A 12-year-old has been arrested in connection with the death of a classmate who was hit with a metal water bottle during an alleged bullying i… Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase Supervisors in Franklin County are considering increasing the real estate tax rate up to 7 cents as they look for ways to balance the budget i… Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Authorities found the body of Charles Arthur Smith Jr. on March 17, after he had been reported missing. Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025 Here's what to know about boating incidents and deaths at Smith Mountain Lake last year, and how they compare to previous years. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | Omny Studio Watch Now: Related Video A1 Minute! April 2, 2026: Hack for RVA civic hackathon; DuPont sells Kevlar and Nomex divisions; Virginia Tourism Corporation partners with Devils Backbone Brewing A1 Minute April 1, 2026: Charlottesville's Fridays After Five season lineup A1 Minute April 1, 2026: Charlottesville's Fridays After Five season lineup A1 Minute! March 28, 2025: Week in Virginia | A1 Minute A1 Minute! March 28, 2025: Week in Virginia | A1 Minute The 10 safest cities in the United States The 10 safest cities in the United States
Lawsuit against state trooper on behalf of Franklin County girl moves forward The trooper is accused of chasing a motorist who was rushing his critically ill daughter to LewisGale Medical Center.
12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle A 12-year-old has been arrested in connection with the death of a classmate who was hit with a metal water bottle during an alleged bullying i…
Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase Supervisors in Franklin County are considering increasing the real estate tax rate up to 7 cents as they look for ways to balance the budget i…
Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Authorities found the body of Charles Arthur Smith Jr. on March 17, after he had been reported missing.
Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025 Here's what to know about boating incidents and deaths at Smith Mountain Lake last year, and how they compare to previous years.
A1 Minute! April 2, 2026: Hack for RVA civic hackathon; DuPont sells Kevlar and Nomex divisions; Virginia Tourism Corporation partners with Devils Backbone Brewing
