Skip Yates

Commander Cornelius Harrington “Skip” Yates III, USN (Retired) died 8 March 2016 from severe complications following a relatively minor medical procedure in January at the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at the VFW Post 280 located at 1509 Ashley Street, Columbia. Service for the celebration of Skip’s life follows at 6 p.m. at the same location.

Skip Yates was born February 8, 1940 in Camden, SC to Cornelius Harrington Yates Jr and Katherine Lottie Etters Yates. He married three times to: Foye Thompson; Martha Bunch; and Sandra Jagger. He is survived by: his sister Sloane Kane of Lottsburg, VA; three sons Jeffrey Thomas Yates of Columbia, SC; LT Christopher Harrington Yates, USN, of Pensacola, FL and Jonathan Shepherd Yates of Rocheport, MO; grandchildren Aaron and Morgan Yates of Columbia, SC; nephews George Emery Biles of VA and Spencer Yates Biles of Maryland; great nieces/nephews Calle, Alec, Maisie and Stella Biles; and numerous Etters and Yates cousins scattered around the world.

Highly respected for his piloting skills, Skip was known fleet-wide as an Aviator’s Aviator. He amassed well over 3000 flight hours, many of them as a combat helicopter pilot during four tours of duty in-country Vietnam and as a naval flight instructor. His duty assignments included: Director of Safety, Naval Air Systems Command; Deputy Director of Operations, Joint Electronic Warfare Center, San Antonio TX; Deputy Commander, HelTacWing ONE; Air Boss USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7); Wing Maintenance Officer, HelSeaConWing ONE; Maintenance Officer, HM-16; NATOPS Officer, HM-12; Head, Rotary Wing Section, NavSafeCen Accident Analysis; Flight Instructor VT-2 and HT-8; Combat SAR, HC-1 and HC-7; Vietnam '67, '68, and '69 CSAR; and '72 OPERATION ENDSWEEP minesweeping Haiphong harbor.

Skip earned the following awards during his 30-year naval career: Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; Air Medal (3 single/8 strike flights); 4 Navy Commendations with Combat “V”; Air Force Commendation Medal; Navy Achievement Medals; Good Conduct Medal; Vietnam Service; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea); Vietnam Campaign Medal; Republic of Vietnam Air Gallantry Medal (with Gold Wings/11 stars); Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Unit Commendation; Meritorious Unit Commendations; Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Commendations; and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon.

Though he displayed a tough persona, Skip loved music, particularly the classics and opera. Skip was also a voracious reader of all things historical with emphasis on the Civil War, WWII and Vietnam operations.

But Skip’s largest achievement in life was his three sons of whom he was extremely proud. He was often heard at Perche Creek Yacht functions bragging about Jeff, Chris or Jonny. He will be sorely missed.