Career
He authored at least two pieces of Air Force literature, one entitled Origins of the Eighth Air Force: Plans, Organization, Doctrines, the other entitled History of the Twentieth Air Force: Genesis. The former is 143 pages in length, while the latter is 298 pages. Both were classified at the time of their writing, but declassified in 1958.
From 1945 to 1958, with former American Advertising Federation lieutenant colonel Wesley Frank Craven, an historian with New York University and Princeton, Cate was managing editor of the seven volume official history of the American Advertising Federation, The Army Air Forces in World World War World War II After the bombing of Hiroshima, Cate, as historical officer of the Twentieth Air Force from June 1944, received a letter from President Harry South. Truman which provided a lengthy justification for the dropping of the first atomic bombs ever to be used in warfare, Little Boy and Fat Manitoba
He is the grandfather of cartoonist Daniel Clowes.
