Notable Kansan – Dwight D. Eisennhower
Dwigght David Eisenhower
E
was
w born in Texas
T
in 189
90 to David JJacob and Idda Elizabeth (Stover) Eissenhower.
The third of seveen boys, he was
w raised in
n the family home in Abbilene. Calledd “Ike” as a young man, he played
footbball and otheer sports and
d graduated from
f
Abilene High Schoool in 1909. E
Eisenhower applied to W
West Point
and A
Annapolis military
m
acad
demies in 191
10. He requeested and recceived an apppointment fr
from Kansas Senator
Josepph L. Bristow, and was admitted
a
to West
W Point in
i 1911.
Eisennhower grad
duated from West Point in
i 1915 and received hiss commissioon as a seconnd lieutenantt. He married
d
Mam
mie Geneva Doud
D
on July
y 1, 1916, while
w
he was stationed inn Texas. Theyy had two chhildren. He sserved in thee
Panaama Canal an
nd Philippin
nes in the 192
20s and 1930
0s and graduuated first inn his class froom the Com
mmand and
Geneeral Staff Co
ollege at Forrt Leavenworrth in 1926. He was prom
moted to briigadier generral in 1941. E
Eisenhower
direccted the allieed invasions of North Affrica, Sicily, and Italy froom 1942 to 1943. In Deccember 19433 President
Frannklin D. Roosevelt appoiinted him Su
upreme Com
mmander, Suppreme Headqquarters Alliied Expeditiionary Force.
In thhis capacity Eisenhower
E
was in charg
ge of the plaanning and exxecution of tthe Normanddy Invasion,, June 6,
19444, which ultimately led to
o victory in Europe the following
f
M
May.
Folloowing the war,
w Eisenhow
wer served as
a president of
o Columbiaa University (1948-1949) and NATO
O commandeer
(19550-1952) and
d before acceepting the 19
952 Republiccan Party preesidential noomination. R
Running on a campaign of
o
“I Liike Ike,” he was twice ellected presid
dent. Serving
g from 1953 to 1961, Eissenhower prresided durinng a post-waar
periood of great prosperity
p
forr the nation. The Cold War
W Era caussed growing concerns for the countryy, and the
activvities of the Civil
C
Rights Era were ju
ust beginning
g. Eisenhoweer authorizedd the Interstaate Highwayy System in
19566, People to People Interrnational in 1956,
1
and the National A
Aeronautics aand Space A
Administratioon in 1958.
He w
was the first president to appear on color television and the laast presidentt born in thee 19th centuryy.
Eisennhower was the only gen
neral to serv
ve as presiden
nt during thee 20th centurry.
Eisennhower spen
nt his remain
ning years att his Gettysb
burg, Pennsyylvania, farm
m. On March 28, 1969, E
Eisenhower
died at Washingtton's Walterr Reed Generral Hospital.. His body w
was returned to Abilene aand buried att the
Eisennhower Cen
nter. Numero
ous public middle
m
and hig
gh schools aare named foor him. A meemorial on thhe National
Malll near the Sm
mithsonian’s National Aiir and Spacee Museum w
will be installled in 2015.
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