February 12
Omar Bradley Born Near Clark, Missouri
Summary
Omar Nelson Bradley was born on February 12, 1893, near Clark, Missouri. He entered the United States Military Academy and graduated with the celebrated West Point class of 1915, which also included Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bradley served in a series of infantry, instructional, and staff assignments between the world wars. During World War II, he commanded the 82nd and 28th Infantry Divisions during training, II Corps in North Africa and Sicily, First U.S. Army during the Normandy invasion, and ultimately the Twelfth Army Group in northwestern Europe. His command eventually included more than one million soldiers. After the war, Bradley headed the Veterans Administration and became Army chief of staff. In 1949, he was appointed the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and served during the opening years of the Korean War. He received promotion to the five-star rank of General of the Army in 1950.
Why It Matters
Bradley commanded enormous American ground forces during the liberation of Western Europe and later became the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His career helped shape both World War II operational command and the postwar system of unified military leadership. His tenure also connected wartime demobilization, veterans' policy, creation of the modern national-security structure, and the early Korean War.
Related Sites
- US Military Atlas: A related profile connecting Omar Bradley with West Point and his senior Army leadership.
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Sources
- United States Third Generation Veterans Hospitals, 1946-1958, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and National Park Service. Accessed 2026-08-25.
- Omar Bradley, Eisenhower Foundation. Accessed 2026-08-25.