Palmer Austin (Stilwell) Cately was born August 31, 1917 in Syracuse, NY to Austin M. Cately (1893-1919) and Irene J. Stilwell (1897-1918). His parents were married on April 26, 1916 in Syracuse, NY. Palmer was their only child and his mom died on September 28, 1918 just over a year after he was born. His dad, the city ice skating champion, died a year later of Typhoid in September 1919. Palmer went to live with his grandfather Carrie Cately and his aunt and uncle Cora and Palmer Cately on Midland Ave., Syracuse, NY. He was raised by his aunt Cora and he graduated from Central High School in Syracuse, NY.

He married Mary Agnes Belzer (1919-2011) on August 31, 1940. Palmer registered for the draft on October 16, 1940 in Syracuse, NY. At the time he was 6' tall, weighed 132 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. According to newspaper reports, prior to his entrance into the service he worked for Savage Arms Corporation in Utica, NY. On his draft registration card he noted his employer as Jewel Tea Co. on Crescent Ave, Syracuse, NY. Palmer was drafted into the service through Utica, NY on June 21, 1943 with service number 32940559. He was stationed at Camp Upton and Miami Beach, Florida before being sent to Camp Barkeley, Texas. On January 11, 1944 he was promoted to Sgt. while at Camp Barkeley, Texas.

He was sent overseas to India in March 1944. In November 1944 he was transferred to Changtu, China and later transferred to Hankow, China where he was attached to a supply headquarters. Letters sent home by Sgt. Cately shortly before his death said that he expected to be home by Christmas. Sgt. Cately was killed in Hankow, China on November 8, 1945 when a Japanese ammunition dump exploded.

His body is returned home in November 1947 and he is laid to rest with full military honors in the Fayetteville Cemetery, Fayetteville, NY.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

"Burials Set For 2 City War Dead", Syracuse Herald-Journal, Syracuse, NY, November 1, 1947, pg. 3.

Deaths, Syracuse Herald-Journal, Syracuse, NY, November 27, 1845, pg. 12.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22602262/palmer_stilwell-cately: accessed 13 Sep 2026), memorial page for SGT Palmer Stilwell Cately (31 Aug 1917–8 Nov 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22602262, citing Fayetteville Cemetery, Fayetteville, Onondaga County, New York, USA; Maintained by Angel Searcher (contributor 47731712).

Dad's FAG - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22540655/austin_m-cately: accessed 13 Sep 2026), memorial page for Austin M. Cately (1893–16 Sep 1919), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22540655, citing Fayetteville Cemetery, Fayetteville, Onondaga County, New York, USA; Maintained by B Rozpad (contributor 50074804).

Mom's FAG - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22540666/irene_j-cately: accessed 13 Sep 2026), memorial page for Irene J. Stilwell Cately (1897–Sep 1918), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22540666, citing Fayetteville Cemetery, Fayetteville, Onondaga County, New York, USA; Maintained by B Rozpad (contributor 50074804).

"Japan Blast Kills Soldier", Syracuse Herald-Journal, Syracuse, NY, November 27, 1945, pg. 22.

"Military Rites Set For Sgt. P.S.Cately", The Post-Standard, Syracuse, NY, November 1, 1947, pg. 6.

National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63138; Applications for Headstones; Record Group 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General; 1941-1949: Carter, George Wayne – Cavender, L Adren; NAID: 104549703.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

New York State Department of Health; Albany, NY, USA; New York State Birth Index

"Services Planned for Dead Heroes", The Post Standard, Syracuse, NY, October 23, 1947, pg. 18

Year: 1920; Census Place: Syracuse Ward 19, Onondaga, New York; Roll: T625_1249; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 223

Year: 1930; Census Place: Syracuse, Onondaga, New York; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 0120; FHL microfilm: 2341364

Year: 1940; Census Place: Syracuse, Onondaga, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02859; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 66-257

Supporting Documents