Dwight David Eisenhower: A Chronology of His Life and Career

When World War II began in 1939, Dwight D. Eisenhower was a little-known Lieutenant Colonel. Four years later, he became Supreme Commander of the Allied armies in Europe. He united these armies into a fighting force that smashed Nazi Germany's dream of world conquest. He subsequently served as the first military commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In 1953, Eisenhower became the first Republican President in 20 years.

Chronology of Eisenhower's Life and Career
Oct 14, 1890		Born in Denison, Texas.
1892		Moved with his family to Abilene, Kansas.
1909		Graduated from high school.
1915		Graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
July 1, 1916		Married Mamie Geneva Doud.
1918		Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his work as commander of the tank training center at Camp Colt, in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
1922-1924		Executive director of Camp Caillard in the Panama Canal Zone.
1926		Graduated from the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
1928		Graduated from the Army War College in Washington, D.C.
1933		Became an aide to General Douglas MacArthur.
1941		Promoted to Colonel, then to Brigadier General.
1942		Named commanding general of American forces in the European Theater of Operations.
1943		Named supreme commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe.
June 6, 1944		Led the Allied invasion of Europe.
1945		Named Army Chief of Staff.
1948		Became president of Columbia University.
1950		Named supreme commander of NATO forces in Europe.
1950		Bought a farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
1952		Elected President of the United States.
1954		The Eisenhower Museum dedicated in Abilene.
1956		Re-elected President.
1961		Retired to his farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
1965		Suffered a mild heart attack.
1968		Suffered four heart attacks.
Mar 28, 1969		Died in a hospital in Washington, D.C.

Eisenhower was named David Dwight at birth, but his parents almost always called him Dwight; by the time he reached high school he had reversed his names.

In grade school, Dwight's older brother Edgar was nicknamed "Big Ike" and Dwight became "Little Ike." How the Eisenhower brothers' classmates came up with the "Ike" moniker is not known, but Dwight continued to be called "Ike" most of his life.