Omar Bradley: The Five-Star General Who Led U.S. Forces on D-Day

Omar Bradley, who was born on February 12, 1893, in Clark, Missouri, made history as the inaugural Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Following the passing of his father when he was just 14, he took on a job as a boilermaker before enrolling at West Point in 1911, graduating in 1915. He wed Mary Quayle in 1916, and they welcomed their daughter, Elizabeth, in 1923. During World War II, he led II Corps, resulting in the capture of 250,000 Axis soldiers, and oversaw American operations on D-Day, June 6, 1944. After the war, he served as the head of the Department of Veteran Affairs, became Army Chief of Staff in 1948, and was elevated to General of the Army in 1950. He passed away in New York City on April 8, 1981.