Mechanic George Kaleb Tate

courtesy of Cindy Orange Neely

Mechanic George Kaleb Tate was born 15 May 1890 in Thaxton, Virginia, the next to last child of 13 children of Joseph James and Catherine Matilda (Faldron) Tate.  The family farmed. George's parents died in 1900 and 1901 and George apparently went to live with older brothers or sisters.  In 1918, George was working as a saw mill hand for J. W. Earnest in Bland, Virginia.

After entering the Army, George was assigned to F Company 116th Infantry.  As a Mechanic, George was pretty much what we call the armorer for his unit.  He was responsible for repair of unit equipment and arms. When George was listed on the manifest for the Finland and the unit's transportation to France, he gave a sister as his next of kin. Mechanic Tate was killed in action on 9 Oct 1918.

Mechanic Tate was repatriated and now rests with other family members in the Tate-Crouch Cemetery in Bedford County, Virginia. 

Brother, Isaac Reeves Tate, was wounded and died of those wounds on 10 Oct 1918 while serving with the 362nd Infantry. He was also repatriated and is also buried in the Tate-Crouch Cemetery. Their father, Joseph,  served as a PVT in H Company 34th Virginia Infantry and was wounded in the right shoulder during the Civil War.