Clifton Cates file photo [31240]

Clifton Cates

SurnameCates
Given NameClifton
Born31 Aug 1893
Died4 Jun 1970
CountryUnited States
CategoryMilitary-Ground
GenderMale

Contributor:

ww2dbaseClifton Bledsoe Cates was born in Tiptonville, Tennessee, United States in 1893. In 1910, he graduated from the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri, United States. In 1916, he graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law. He was commissioned into the US Marine Corps Reserves as the United States entered into WW1; with the 6th Marine Regiment, he fought in France and was awarded the Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star, among other decorations. He returned to the United States in Sep 1919 and remained in the military, serving as Major General George Barnett's aide-de-camp until 1925, aboard USS California as the commanding officer of her Marine Detachment, with the 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai in China between 1929 and 1932, studied at the Army Industrial College and the Marine Corps Schools, and with the War Plans Section of the Division of Operations and Training at Headquarters Marine Corps in 1935.

ww2dbaseAfter the outbreak of WW2 in Asia in 1937, in 1938, Cates was assigned to the 4th Marine Regiment as a battalion commander in Shanghai, rising to be the regimental executive officer in 1939. In 1940, Cates returned to the United States. After studies at the Army War College, he served as the director of the Marine Officers Basic School at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, United States. After the US entry into WW2, in 1942, he was made the commanding officer of the 1st Marine Regiment, which he commanded during the Guadalcanal campaign. Returning to the US, he served as the commandant of the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico, Virginia, United States until 1944. Later in the war, he served on Iwo Jima as the commanding general of the 4the Marine Division during the campaigns in the Mariana Islands and on Iwo Jima; he received a Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his service on Tinian and a Gold Star in lieu of a second award for his service on Iwo Jima. Among his foreign decorations included the Légion d'honneur of France and the Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau of the Netherlands.

ww2dbaseAfter WW2, Cates was promoted to the rank of general and was made the 19th commandant of the United States Marine Corps. After serving in that role between 1948 and 1952, his rank was reverted to his permanent rank of lieutenant general and served as the commandant of the Marine Corps Schools. He retired from service in 1954 and was later promoted to the rank of general on the retirement list. He passed away from illness at the United States Naval Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, United States in 1970 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, United States.

ww2dbaseHis son, Clifton Cates, Jr., followed his footsteps and entered military service. An officer with the US Navy, the younger Cates would command USS Cassin Young, which saw combat in WW2, in the 1950s.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Oct 2021

Clifton Cates Interactive Map

Photographs

Clifton Cates in football uniform, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, 1914Portrait of Lieutenant Clifton Cates, 1917-1919US 1st Marine Division staff at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, Aug 1942Clifton Cates with battalion commanders of US 1st Marine Regiment, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, 10 Oct 1942
See all 18 photographs of Clifton Cates

Clifton Cates Timeline

31 Aug 1893 Clifton Cates was born in Tiptonville, Tennessee, United States.
24 May 1917 Clifton Cates was commissioned into the US Marine Corps Reserves with the rank of second lieutenant.
13 Jun 1917 Clifton Cates was officially placed on active duty with the US Marine Corps Reserves.
28 Aug 1917 Clifton Cates was assigned to the 96th Company of 2nd Battalion of US 6th Marine Regiment.
18 Sep 1917 Clifton Cates was promoted to the temporary rank of second lieutenant.
1 Jul 1918 Clifton Cates was promoted to the temporary rank of first lieutenant.
19 Jul 1918 During the Battle of Soissons in Bouresches, France, he sent a report to describe his dire situation being pinned down in a trench, pinned down by machine gun fire, but "I WILL HOLD"; that phrase would later become associated with him even as he rose through the ranks.
28 Aug 1918 Clifton Cates's promotion to first lieutenant was authorized by his superiors.
5 Mar 1919 Clifton Cates was promoted to the temporary rank of captain.
1 May 1919 Clifton Cates was assigned to Company E of a US Marine composite regiment.
20 Sep 1919 Clifton Cates was assigned to Marine Barracks, Washington DC, United States.
14 Feb 1920 Clifton Cates was made the aide-de-camp to Major General George Barnett in Washington DC, United States.
4 Jun 1920 Clifton Cates's 1921 promotion to captain was retroactively dated to this date.
15 Nov 1920 Clifton Cates was made the aide-de-camp to General George Barnett in San Francisco, California, United States.
2 Apr 1921 Clifton Cates was promoted to the permanent rank of captain; this was retroactively dated for 4 Jun 1920.
10 Jun 1923 Clifton Cates was made the commanding officer of the Marine Detachment aboard USS California.
29 Apr 1925 Clifton Cates stepped down as the commanding officer of the Marine Detachment aboard USS California.
9 May 1925 Clifton Cates was assigned to the 4th Marine Regiment.
1 Jul 1926 Clifton Cates was assigned to the Recruiting Station at Spokane, Washington, United States.
6 May 1927 Clifton Cates was assigned to the Recruiting Station at Omaha, Nebraska, United States.
6 Mar 1928 Clifton Cates was assigned to the American Battle Monuments Commission in Washington DC, United States.
5 Aug 1929 Clifton Cates was assigned to 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai, China.
6 Sep 1929 Clifton Cates was made an athletic director within the 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai, China.
1 Oct 1931 Clifton Cates was promoted to the rank of major.
6 Jun 1932 Clifton Cates was detached from 4th Marine Regiment in Shanghai, China.
17 Aug 1932 Clifton Cates began his studies at the Army Industrial College in Washington DC, United States.
23 Jun 1933 Clifton Cates completed his studies at the Army Industrial College in Washington DC, United States.
10 Sep 1934 Clifton Cates began his studies at the Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, United States.
1 Jul 1935 Clifton Cates was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
25 Jul 1935 Clifton Cates completed his studies at the Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, United States.
26 Jul 1935 Clifton Cates's promotion to lieutenant colonel was authorized by his superiors.
30 Sep 1935 Clifton Cates was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps.
24 May 1937 Clifton Cates was detached from Headquarters Marine Corps.
30 Jun 1937 Clifton Cates was attached to 2nd Battalion of 5th Marine Regiment.
1 Feb 1938 Clifton Cates was made the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion of 4th Marine Regiment.
18 May 1939 Clifton Cates was made the executive officer of the 4th Marine Regiment.
6 Jun 1939 Clifton Cates stepped down as the executive officer of the 4th Marine Regiment.
1 Sep 1939 Clifton Cates began his studies at the Army War College in Washington DC, United States.
1 Apr 1940 Clifton Cates was promoted to the rank of colonel.
22 Jun 1940 Clifton Cates completed his studies at the Army War College in Washington DC, United States.
6 Jul 1940 Clifton Cates was made the director of Marine Officers Basic School, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Pennsylvania, United States.
5 Jan 1942 Clifton Cates was temporarily attached to Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.
16 Jan 1942 Clifton Cates was deattached from his temporary assignment to Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet.
23 Apr 1942 Clifton Cates stepped down as the director of Marine Officers Basic School, at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Pennsylvania, United States.
3 May 1942 Clifton Cates was made the commanding officer of 1st Marine Regiment.
16 Sep 1942 Clifton Cates was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general.
11 Feb 1943 Clifton Cates stepped down as the commanding officer of 1st Marine Regiment.
1 Mar 1943 Clifton Cates was named the commandant of Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, United States.
3 Apr 1943 Clifton Cates was promoted to the permanent rank of brigadier general.
1 Feb 1944 Clifton Cates was promoted to the rank of major general.
20 Jun 1944 Clifton Cates stepped down as the commandant of Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, United States.
23 Jun 1944 Clifton Cates's promotion to major general was authorized by his superiors.
12 Jul 1944 Clifton Cates was made the commanding officer of 4th Marine Division.
19 Nov 1945 Clifton Cates stepped down as the commanding officer of 4th Marine Division.
14 Jan 1946 Clifton Cates became the President of the Marine Corps Equipment Board in Quantico, Virginia, United States.
1 Jun 1946 Clifton Cates was made the commanding officer of Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, United States.
24 Jun 1946 Clifton Cates was made the Senior Member of Board of the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington DC, United States.
24 Jan 1947 Clifton Cates became the President of the Advisory Board of Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, United States.
31 Dec 1947 Clifton Cates was promoted to the temporary rank of general and was made the commandant of the US Marine Corps.
31 Dec 1951 Clifton Cates stepped down as the commandant of the US Marine Corps and was made the commandant of Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, United States.
1 Jan 1952 Clifton Cates was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.
30 Jun 1954 Clifton Cates stepped down as the commandant of Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, United States and retired from military service.
4 Jun 1970 Clifton Cates passed away from illness at the United States Naval Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, United States.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
26 Nov 2023 08:43:32 AM

There’s a mistake regarding General Clifton Cates on the November 15 timeline-it should be 1920 not 2020.
2. Commenter identity confirmed C. Peter Chen says:
27 Nov 2023 08:28:58 AM

Thank you to the anonymous commenter of 26 Nov 2023, the typographical error has been corrected!

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Search WW2DB
More on Clifton Cates
Event(s) Participated:
» Guadalcanal Campaign
» Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot
» Palau Islands and Ulithi Islands Campaigns
» Battle of Iwo Jima

Ship(s) Served:
» California

Clifton Cates Photo Gallery
Clifton Cates in football uniform, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, 1914
See all 18 photographs of Clifton Cates


Famous WW2 Quote
"Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue."

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 16 Mar 1945


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