Eisenhower assumes command of U.S. troops in Europe

June 25th  - On this day in 1942, General Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes commander of all U.S. troops in the European theater of World War II, continuing the steady ascent in military rank that would culminate in his appointment as supreme Allied commander of all forces in Europe in 1943. As U.S. commander, Ike developed diplomatic skills that he would later employ as America's 34th president.

Read more at This Day in History... Read More......

A snippet from Ike to Mamie, WWII

From Mrs Ike: Memories of the Life of Mamie Eisenhower, which contains letters Ike wrote to Mamie during the war. A quote from one of them:

"When I find myself contemplating a post-war experience, I always picture a little place away from the cities (but with someone near enough for occasional bridge) and the two of us just getting brown in the sun, (and possibly thick in the middle). A dozen cats and dogs, with a horse or two, maybe a place to fish (not too strenuously) and a field in which to shoot a few birds once in a while - I think that's roughly my idea of a good life."

Hat tip: Maggie's Farm Read More......