Clifton Bledsoe Cates served in the U.S. Marine Corps for thirty-seven years, leading the First Marine Division on Guadalcanal during World War II and, as a brigadier general, commanding the Fourth Marine Division during the conquest of Tinian and Iwo Jima in 1944. He was the first Tennessean to achieve the rank of full general, served as the 19th Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1948 to 1952, was wounded seven times, received many American and foreign medals, and continued his military service through the Korean War. He died in 1970 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.