Military career of Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1947.
Nickname(s)	Ike
Born	October 14, 1890 Denison, Texas
Died	March 28, 1969 Washington, D.C.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1915 – 1953 1961 – 1969
Rank	General of the Army
Commands held	Supreme Allied Commander Europe Chief of Staff of the United States Army Military Governor of the U.S. Occupation Zone in Germany Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe Commanding General, European Theater of Operations Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces in North Africa
Battles/wars	Mexican Border Service World War I World War II
Awards	Navy Distinguished Service Medal Army Distinguished Service Medal (5) Legion of Merit
Other work	President of Columbia University, NY President of the United States of America

The military career of Dwight D. Eisenhower encompassed over forty years of active service.

Entering the United States Military Academy in June 1911, Eisenhower had a "spectacular" 1912 football touchdown praised by the New York Herald. The week after sharing a tackle of Jim Thorpe , Eisenhower's sports career ended with a severe knee injury.

Eisenhower graduated in 1915 ranked 61st in a class of 164. The risk, however, that the football injury would cause the government to later have to give Eisenhower a medical discharge and pension, almost caused the army to not commission him. This was acceptable to Eisenhower, who was curious about gaucho life and began planning a trip to Argentina. The army offered to assign him to the coast artillery, but Eisenhower viewed it as offering "a minimum of excitement" and preferred to become a civilian. West Point's chief medical officer interceded with the War Department and obtained a commission for him. Eisenhower requested duty in the Philippines, but was assigned to the 19th Infantry at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

Shortly after the entry of the United States into the First World War, Eisenhower was promoted to captain in May 1917.

Eisenhower was given command of Camp Colt, Pennsylvania, a post of the newly formed Tank Corps, National Army, on March 24, 1918 He was promoted to major the next month and received a Distinguished Service Medal in 1924 for his performance in this assignment.

Major Eisenhower's unit was honored by the Tank Corps Welfare League at New York City's Century Theatre on September 15, 1918. Eisenhower was promoted to lieutenant colonel in October and was ordered the same month to embark on November 18 with Camp Colt tankers for combat service in France. With the deployment overtaken by the November 11 armistice, Eisenhower instead was transferred to Camp Dix until December 22.