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Omar Bradley

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Omar Bradley was a very important leader in the United States Army.

Omar Bradley
Omar Bradley

He was born in 1893 in rural Missouri. His family lived in poverty and did not own a horse or a wagon.

Omar Bradley Portrait
Omar Bradley Portrait

Before joining the military, he worked as a boilermaker for 17 cents an hour. He originally planned to study law at a university. However, a teacher encouraged him to take an exam for West Point. West Point is a famous military academy in New York. He graduated in 1915 with a class called "the class the stars fell on."

Bradley was a very talented athlete during his school years. He was a star baseball player and a great outfielder.

Eisenhower Football
Eisenhower Football

He even played football with another future leader, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bradley turned down many offers to play professional baseball. He chose to focus on his career in the Army instead. During World War I, he served as a captain. He was sent to guard copper mines in Montana. These mines were very important for the country. After the war, he spent time teaching at West Point.

US Army Infantry School instructors 1930s
US Army Infantry School instructors 1930s

During World War II, Bradley took on many big jobs. He helped turn the 82nd Infantry Division into an airborne division.

This means the soldiers could jump from planes. He first led troops in North Africa under George S. Patton. Later, he commanded the First United States Army during the invasion of Normandy. This was a huge and important mission. After the breakout from Normandy, his job grew even larger. He led the Twelfth United States Army Group.

Collinsbradley
Collinsbradley

This Army Group was truly massive in size. It included forty-three different divisions of soldiers. In total, it had 1.3 million men under his command. This was the largest group of American soldiers ever led by one person.

General Bradley and General McNair
General Bradley and General McNair

After the war ended, Bradley held several high positions. He led the Veterans Administration to help former soldiers. In 1948, he became the Chief of Staff of the Army. By 1949, he was the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Louis Johnson swears in Omar Bradley as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Louis Johnson swears in Omar Bradley as the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Bradley reached the highest rank possible in the Army. In 1950, he became a General of the Army. This is a special five-star rank. He was the last of only nine people to reach this level.

Omar Bradley
Omar Bradley

He also helped lead during the Korean War. He worked with President Harry S. Truman to make big decisions. Bradley stayed in public roles for many years. He lived to be 88 years old. He passed away in 1981.

OmarBradleyTombstone
OmarBradleyTombstone
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🖼️ Images & Media (61)
File:Omarbradleywestpoint.jpg
Omarbradleywestpoint.jpg
File:Group photo of the 1915 West Point lettermen.png
Group photo of the 1915 West Point lettermen.png
File:Eisenhower Football.jpg
Eisenhower Football.jpg
File:US Army Infantry School instructors 1930s.jpg
US Army Infantry School instructors 1930s.jpg
File:General Bradley and General McNair.jpg
General Bradley and General McNair.jpg
File:Churchill Shooting M1 Carbine.jpg
Churchill Shooting M1 Carbine.jpg
File:Watching operations from the bridge.jpg
Watching operations from the bridge.jpg
File:Collinsbradley.jpg
Collinsbradley.jpg
File:General Montgomery with Generals Patton (left) and Bradley (centre) at 21st Army Group HQ, Normandy, 7 July 1944. B6551.jpg
General Montgomery with Generals Patton...
File:Marshall arnold and bradley.jpg
Marshall arnold and bradley.jpg
File:LtGen Omar Bradley, LtGen George Patton, and MGen Manton Eddy.jpg
LtGen Omar Bradley, LtGen George Patton,...
File:The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 BU3380.jpg
The British Army in North-west Europe...

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