Avncricans will not forge-t soon Omar Nelson Bradley. the ”Gl’s (leiimil” of World War II fainc and last of the fivestar gem-rals, who died at ago lift of a cardiac arrest. lh;nllcy’s career was long and impressive. but hir placc in military history was assured if for no other accomplishment than his World War ll command of American forces in the .lune 6, 1944 “D-‘ flag”‘ invasion of Noriinnidy. llnrlcr Gen. Dwight D. liliwilxowcr, supreme allicll commander, Bradley li-nl on-crrall cornmand of more than 13 million U.S. troops in four armies for lh– hisztorir-. invasion. Normandy was the l prelude to the Allied sweep = across France and Germany that crushed Adolf N Hitler’s powerful Third Reich force. Born into humble circumstances in Missouri. Bradley was graduated from West Point. served in World War I and rose to i prominence in World War ll, first as commander of the 2nd Corps. He demonstrated strong leadershipi in the! North African and Sicilian campaigns. And after Normandy, he commanded the U. S. 12th Army Group in the battle for Germany. it was Bradley’s men who linked with Soviet troops on the banks of the Elbe River April 25, 1945. a meeting that symbolized the end of German power. in the post-war era, he was veterans affairs administrator. 1945-47 and was appointed U. S. Army Chief of Staff in 1948. He served from 1949 to 1953 as first permanent chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Promoted to general of the Army in 1950. he retired in 1953 to become a business executive. Bradley took his place on the select list of five-star generals that included Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur. Henry Harley Arnold, George Marshall and George Washington before them. John J. Pershing was named general of the armies in 1949 but declined a fifth star. Perhaps Bradley’s proudest memory was the informal title of the “Gl’s General” bestowed by the soldiers themselves. His common touch” inspired many a unit to greater effort. His final major public appearances came in January when he attended the Ronald Reagan inauguration spectacular and rode in the parade. in the annals of American heroes and patriots. Omar Bradley soldier. military leader and strategist. and citizen dedicated to peace and freedom – deserves an honored place.