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1951-1952 General
of the Army
Dwight David Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas, the third of seven sons born to David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Elizabeth Stover Eisenhower. In 1892, the Eisenhower moved to Dickinson County, Kansas, where the family previously had resided until 1888, when they moved to Texas where General Eisenhower was born. The family home has been at Abilene, Kansas, without interruption ever since the return, which took place in 1892. As a youth Dwight David Eisenhower attended public schools in Abilene, graduating from High School there in 1909 with a good record in scholastics and athletics. During the year following his graduation from High School he took competitive examinations for both the United States Military and Naval Academies, finishing first in the Annapolis examination and second in the West Point examination. He was promised an appointment to the Naval Academy, only to discover that he would be several months too old for admission when the next Academy year started. By a coincidence, however, the highest man on the West Point examination list was unable to accept the appointment and Dwight David Eisenhower received it instead. He entered the Military Academy on July 1, 1911, and was graduated in 1915, scholastically among the upper third of his class. He was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry and assigned to the 19th Infantry at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. SERVICEHe joined the 19th Infantry at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, on September 13, 1915 and served at that post until May 28, 1917 with the exception of short periods when he was on detached service with the National Guard of Illinois at Camp Wilson, Texas and as Assistant Mustering Officer, Southern Department, Camp Wilson. He then served with the 57 th Infantry at Leon Springs, Texas to September 18, 1917; as instructor in the Officers Raining Camp at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, to December 12, 1917; and as instructor, Army Service Schools, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to February 28, 1918. He organised the 65 th Battalion Engineers at Camp Meade, Maryland; commanded Camp Colt, Pennsylvania, from March 24 to November 18, 1918; commanded Tank Corps troops at Camp Dix, New Jersey, to December 22, 1918; and at Fort Benning, Georgia, to March 15, 1919. He was then ordered to Fort Meade, Maryland, where he served as Executive Officer and later commanded various tank battalions to January 7, 1922. During this period he was graduated from the Infantry Tank School. He then sailed for the Panama Canal Zone, where he served as Executive Officer, Camp Gaillard, to September 19, 1924. Upon his return to the United States he was assigned as Recreation Officer Headquarters of the Third Corps Area, Baltimore, Maryland, to December 15, 1924. He was recruiting officer, Fort Logan, Colorado, to August 19, 1925 when he attended the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, completing the course as an honor graduate in June 1926. He joined the 24 th Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia, on August 15, 1926, and on January 15, 1927 was transferred to Washington, D.C. for service with the American Battle Monuments Commission, remaining on that duty until August 15, 1927. He was graduated from the Army War College, Washington D.C. on June 20, 1928 and then returned to duty with the American Battle Monuments Commission. From November 8, 1929 to February 20, 1933 he was Assistant Executive Office of the Assistant Secretary of War, Washington, during which time he was graduated from the Army Industrial College. He then served in the Office of the Chief of Staff in Washington to September 24, 1935. He sailed for Manila in September 1935 to become Assistant to the Military Advisor, Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands, General Douglas McArthur. He joined the 15 th Infantry at Ford Ord, California in February 1940 and accompanied this regiment to Fort Lewis, Washington, a few weeks later. On November 30, 1940 he was assigned as Chief of Staff of the 3 rd Division at Fort Lewis, Washington. He was assigned as Chief of Staff of the Third Army, San Antonio, Texas, on June, 24 1941. He was named Deputy Chief on December 14, 1941. He was named Chief of the War Plans Division, War Department General Staff, on February 16, 1942. He was designated as Assistant Chief of Staff in charge of the Operations Division, Office of the chief Staff, Washington D.C. on April2, 1942. On June 25, 1942 he was designated Commanding General, European Theater, with headquarters in London, England. On November 8, 1942, he commanded American Forces landing in North Africa. He became Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces North Africa that same month, November 1942. In December 1943 he became Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Forces and his planning and coordination of the land, sea and air forces culminated in the Normandy invasion, June 6, 1944. On August 9, 1944, General Eisenhower established his advance command post in France. Prior to that date he had visited the front from his headquarters in London and Portsmouth, Tactical Advance Headquarters. On 25 August General Eisenhower reported the destruction of German Forces in Northwestern France. SHAED “main” was moved from London to Versailles, France, from where General continued to direct operations until the latter part of April 1945, when an advance command post was set up at Reims, France. It was at Reims, in a schoolhouse, that the German High Command acknowledged defeat and signed the unconditional surrender which terminated the war in Europe on May 8, 1945. Shortly after the cessation of hostilities, it was announced that General Eisenhower had been appointed Military Governor of the United States Occupied Zone in Germany with Headquarters at Frankfurt, Germany. On November 19, 1945 he was named to succeed General of the Army George C. Marshall as Chief of Staff. He was succeeded by General of the Army Omar N. Bradley on February 7, 1948. He assumed the Presidency of Columbia University on June 7, 1948. On December 20, 1950 General Eisenhower was appointed Supreme Commander Allied Powers Europe, and he assumed command on April 2, 1951. DECORATIONSGeneral Eisenhower’s decorations follow:
General Eisenhower has been awarded the following honorary degrees:
General Eisenhower has received the following honors:
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