Clifford Cate

There were 206 people from Story City that served in the military during World War One. Of those 206, eleven men lost their lives while in service. Over the following year, the Historical Society will be paying tribute to these eleven soldiers in the Herald on the 100th anniversary of their death. The first soldier from Story City who died was Clifford Cate on February 1, 1918.
Clifford Cate was born near Story City on October 10, 1897. He enlisted in the army on April 5, 1917, and at 2 am the next morning, the United States declared war with Germany. On July 13, he was called into service at Boone and on Sept. 1, left for training at Camp Cody in Deming, NM. Clifford took ill due to an attack of pneumonia. It was reported in the Herald that he recovered from the pneumonia but because of over exhaustion during his convalescence he suffered a relapse which ultimately lead to his death.
Clifford was the son of Mrs. Mary Bickelhaupt who lived west of Story City. His step-father was Peter Bickelhaupt. His father, Charles Cate, had lived in Canada for about a dozen years at the time of Clifford’s death. Besides his parents, Clifford had a sister, two step-brothers, and numerous family and friends that mourned his death. One of his step-brothers, Harry Bickelhaupt, was on the war front in France at this time.
Clifford’s funeral was held at Grace Church in Story City at 1:30 pm on February 8, 1918. Businesses in town closed at 1 pm and did not reopen until after the funeral. It was reported in the Herald that over 700 people paid their respects at Clifford’s casket and it took 45 minutes for the procession to pass by. Rev. Wendel of Grace Church and Rev. Wissler of Gilbert officiated. The service began with the singing of America and closed with The Star Spangled Banner. A squad of 16 soldiers from Camp Dodge acted as a military escort for their departed comrade.
The flag at the schoolhouse was placed at half-mast and the electric lights on Broad Street were entwined in the national colors as a tribute to the memory of the first Story City boy to give his life for his country during the war. Clifford’s burial was at Center Cemetery west of Story City.
Clifford had taken out a thousand dollar life insurance policy at some point before entering the army. After joining his company at Camp Cody, he took out a $5,000 government policy which was payable to his mother in installments of about $29 per month for 20 years. It was reported in the Herald that his mother had not known about the second insurance policy. The Herald stated that “this latter act is perhaps as good an example of how our boys who go into the army are matured in a remarkably short time, how they come to stand on their own feet and act on their own judgement. That Clifford should have thought of his mother in this way, speaks volumes for his unselfishness and filial love.”
Clifford’s mother received two letters after his death, one from his commanding officer and one from the chaplain at Camp Cody. Both were reprinted in the February 14 edition of the Herald. You can view these letters on the Historical Society’s website at storycityhistory.org.
As we remember Clifford Cate and all of our Gold Star soldiers throughout this year, let us not forget that they gave their all for liberty and peace.
Clifford Cate was born near Story City on October 10, 1897. He enlisted in the army on April 5, 1917, and at 2 am the next morning, the United States declared war with Germany. On July 13, he was called into service at Boone and on Sept. 1, left for training at Camp Cody in Deming, NM. Clifford took ill due to an attack of pneumonia. It was reported in the Herald that he recovered from the pneumonia but because of over exhaustion during his convalescence he suffered a relapse which ultimately lead to his death.
Clifford was the son of Mrs. Mary Bickelhaupt who lived west of Story City. His step-father was Peter Bickelhaupt. His father, Charles Cate, had lived in Canada for about a dozen years at the time of Clifford’s death. Besides his parents, Clifford had a sister, two step-brothers, and numerous family and friends that mourned his death. One of his step-brothers, Harry Bickelhaupt, was on the war front in France at this time.
Clifford’s funeral was held at Grace Church in Story City at 1:30 pm on February 8, 1918. Businesses in town closed at 1 pm and did not reopen until after the funeral. It was reported in the Herald that over 700 people paid their respects at Clifford’s casket and it took 45 minutes for the procession to pass by. Rev. Wendel of Grace Church and Rev. Wissler of Gilbert officiated. The service began with the singing of America and closed with The Star Spangled Banner. A squad of 16 soldiers from Camp Dodge acted as a military escort for their departed comrade.
The flag at the schoolhouse was placed at half-mast and the electric lights on Broad Street were entwined in the national colors as a tribute to the memory of the first Story City boy to give his life for his country during the war. Clifford’s burial was at Center Cemetery west of Story City.
Clifford had taken out a thousand dollar life insurance policy at some point before entering the army. After joining his company at Camp Cody, he took out a $5,000 government policy which was payable to his mother in installments of about $29 per month for 20 years. It was reported in the Herald that his mother had not known about the second insurance policy. The Herald stated that “this latter act is perhaps as good an example of how our boys who go into the army are matured in a remarkably short time, how they come to stand on their own feet and act on their own judgement. That Clifford should have thought of his mother in this way, speaks volumes for his unselfishness and filial love.”
Clifford’s mother received two letters after his death, one from his commanding officer and one from the chaplain at Camp Cody. Both were reprinted in the February 14 edition of the Herald. You can view these letters on the Historical Society’s website at storycityhistory.org.
As we remember Clifford Cate and all of our Gold Star soldiers throughout this year, let us not forget that they gave their all for liberty and peace.