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CADET. At West Point,
Dwight Eisenhower got
average marks, put in two
seasons of football.
By AP Newsfeatures
C1ENERAL DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER has come a long way since someone,
while World War II was hot, first mentioned his name in the same
breath as the presidency. "Baloney," was his reaction then.
Even until he retired from the army and from NATO command in Europe,
the word was he would not campaign actively for the Republican nomina
tion. But that ended at Abilene.
"Ike" always has been a competitor, He was a leading high school athlete
at Abilene, a semi-pro baseball player, a half back at West Point, and a
boxer and fencer. He took up golf at 37, won a pilot's license in his forties.
Born in Texas of a family of German ancestry that reached America in
1732, he obtained a West Point berth as a means of gaining a college educa
tion. He finished 61st in a class of 164 and an instructor wrote on his record
"born to command."
In World War I he served in this country but got a medal for training
tank corps troops. Afterwards in the Philippines he was chief of staff to
General Douglas MacArthur.
Attracting the attention of General George Marshall in Louisiana troop
maneuvers in 1941, his rise to command in Africa, Italy and the cross channel
invasion was spectacular. He made hard decisions, obtained team play from
his international army. Members of the German general staff rated him the
greatest general of World War II for planning, daring and leadership.
It was his gift for leadership that got him the job of president at Columbia
University, a job he left to organize NATO defenses in Europe.
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HONORED. In Manila, 1939, wife pins Philippine
medal on Lt. Col. Eisenhower.
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WORLD WAR II. General Eisenhower, Allied Supreme Com
mander, and General Mark Clark in Italy in 1944.
VICTORY SMILE. World War II bosj in Europe re
turns cheers of New York crowd on his return in 1945.
"WELL, I'LL BE DARNEDI" Ike getting the news that Gen.
MacArthur had been relieved of his Far East command.
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"CALL ME IKE." When asked once whether he should
be called "General" or "President" as head of Co
lumbia, Eisenhower replied: "So long as I live, I shall
most readily answer to the name of Ike."
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COLUMBIA'S PREXY. Ike arrives at Columbia University to be
installed as its head on June 7, 1948.
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PROUD GRANDFATHER. Ike first sees his grandson, Dwight David It; when he visits his daughter-in-law at the West
Point station hospital in 1948. Capt. John Eisenhower, father of the infant, looks on.
GOLFER. Ike swings dubs on Florida links. A late
starter at this sport, he scores in BO'S.
GREETINGSI Eisenhower gets smiling welcome from New
York's Governor Dewey, a backer, during campaign.