Brigadier General James H. Batte was born in Concord North Carolina. He graduated from Davidson College with a Bachelor Degree in chemistry and entered active duty in July 1935 at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland where he served as a company officer in the 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion.

Brigadier General Batte moved with his battalion to Europe in March of 1944 landing with the initial assault troops during H-hour of D-Day. During his tenure as Battalion Commander he participated in five campaigns of the European theater. Following the war, he served on the War Department General Staff and from December 1945 until June 1948 was the Executive Aide to the Secretary of the U.S. Army serving concurrent duty as Senior White House Aide to the Truman Administration.

In August of 1965, Brigadier General Batte became the commander of the entire Arsenal complex which included Pine Bluff Arsenal, Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Fort Detrick and Edgewood Arsenal.