Dwight Eisenhower was born in Texas?!

I'm in front of the Ike statue in Denison.

In July 2019, my wife and I traveled to Denison (north of Sherman) to see the birthplace of Dwight David Eisenhower, our nation's 34th president. Did you know that Eisenhower was born in North Texas? Do not worry if you did not know this golden nugget of Texas's history since even Ike did not know he was a Texan until he was a middle-aged man. Dwight Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890, in a mid-sized house in Denison. He was the third of seven sons. Less than two years later, when "Ike" (the nickname he was given by his parents) was an infant, the family moved to Abilene, Kansas. Ike always considered Abilene to be his native home and stomping grounds. Ike had an unfortunate childhood, injuring his knee and developing a groin infection as a high school freshman, being berated by his father for not joining the International Bible Students organization, and often forced to complete chores instead of playing with friends. However, Ike worked hard, saved his pennies, and accepted an appointment at the West Point Military Academy in 1911. It is surprising that one of the world's best generals was a lousy college student; Ike regularly received citations and detention, and his grades were 'just average.' His favorite subject in college was English. He graduated in 1915; this West Point class would later be known as "the class the stars fell on," since 59 members eventually became general officers in WWII and other Cold War conflicts. Shortly after receiving his West Point diploma and deployment in Texas (his original request in the Philippines was denied), Ike married Mamie Geneva, a recent graduate of Wolcott School for Girls in Denver, Colorado, in 1916. The future president gave his wife a miniature of his West Point class ring to seal the deal. The couple had two sons, Doud (1917-1921) and John (1922-2013).

Although the house was closed, I still took some fantastic photographs of the exterior.

As a major (a rank he would hold for 16 years), Ike commanded a unit at Camp Colt - at the site of Pickett's Charge in Gettysburg - during World War I. His superiors were mightily impressed at the young man's sense of patriotic duty, excellent organizational skills, and splendid judgement. Ike desperately wanted to see action on the battlefield, however, the 1918 armistice, signed a week before his departure date, thwarted those dreams. He received the Distinguished Service Medal for his work at home. Bitter and depressed that he had not been involved in the fighting overseas, Ike was stationed at various military bases in the United States and around the world prior to his service in World War II. After the Japanese attack on Peal Harbor in December 1941, Ike was assigned for the General Staff in Washington, tasked with creating major war plans to defeat Germany and Japan. He received the the lieutenant general rank on July 7, 1942. Following a stint as Supreme Commander of the North African Theater (where the Allies toppled the Axis forces with the help from British ground forces under the command of Sir Bernard Montgomery), Ike oversaw the invasion of Sicily in the summer of 1943. In December 1943, believing the war could swiftly end, President Franklin D. Roosevelt named Dwight Eisenhower the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. Ike coordinated the D-Day Normandy Landings on June 6, 1944; the invasion of France was a victory for the allies, yet costly since more than 10,000 American, British, French, and Canadian lives were lost. Yet, after the coastal assault succeeded, the allies moved inwards and forced Germany to surrender in May 1945. After the bloody war, Ike returned to Washington D.C. and replaced George C. Marshall as the Chief of Staff of the Army. Owing to his military successes, several political insiders suggested that Ike run for political office, however, the aging general had no intention in grabbing the political spotlight in 1945. He strongly believed that a general should not participate in politics; biographer Merlo J. Pusey wrote that "figuratively speaking, [Eisenhower] kicked his political-minded visitor out of his office."

A close-up of the Ike statue outside his birthplace.

Prior to the end of the 1940s, Ike published his best-seller memoir, Crusade in Europe, and became president of Columbia University. President Harry S. Truman pressed Ike on a run for the presidency on the Democrat Party ticket, however, Eisenhower declared himself a Republican and announced his candidacy in the spring of 1952. The Republican Party mobilized a splendid campaign, decorating buttons and posters with the simple, yet effective slogan "I Like Ike." Richard M. Nixon, future president and then-senator from California, was selected as Ike's vice president (although their partnership was often cold). Ike won the election in a landslide, with an electoral college margin of 442 to 89, marking the first Publican return to the White House in 20 years. He was easily re-elected in 1956; the voters appreciated "his sincerity, his integrity and sense of duty, his virtue as a family man, his religious devotion, and his sheer likeableness." Ike presided over the beginning years of the Cold War, a tense period where the USA and Soviet Union faced off in a non-combative showdown. During his presidency, Ike is best known for expanding the nation's nuclear arsenal (at inexpensive costs), recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation, providing aid to the French in Vietnam (which would eventually launch into the Vietnam War), and authorized the establishment of America's Space Agency (NASA). Additionally, he expanded social security, signed the ground-breaking Civil Rights Act of 1957, and saw unprecedented economic prosperity (it was during this time when the number of marriages, wage amounts, and baby numbers steadily increased). Due to aging pains and heart aches, Ike did not campaign for his vice president when Nixon announced his candidacy in 1960. Nixon was narrowly defeated by newcomer and youngling John F. Kennedy in November 1960. Eisenhower left the top office peacefully, however, warned Americans in his televised closing address that the outside world (including the Communists) were becoming dangerously violent. Congress reactivated his army commission, and Ike would forever after be a five-star general in the United States Army.

The marker indicating that Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in Texas.

After his presidency, Dwight Eisenhower and his wife spent most of their retirement days in either Pennsylvania or California. It appears that Ike missed the presidency, since he often made trips to the White House and advise his successors on foreign policy; he spoke with JFK, LBJ, and Richard Nixon. Ike died of congestive heart failure in Washington D.C. on March 28, 1969. His body lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda for two days prior to a massive state funeral on March 31. The funeral was attended by many international dignitaries, including President Charles de Gaulle of France, Chancellor Kurt-Georg Kiesinger of West Germany, and Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran. Ike was buried wearing his military uniform in Abilene, Kansas. His wife, Mamie would pass away ten years later on November 1. Nixon (then president) eulogized his former boss in a teary, yet powerful speech: "Some men are considered great because they lead great armies or lead powerful nations. For eight years now, Dwight Eisenhower has neither commanded an army or led a nation; and yet he remained through his final days the world's most admired and respected man, truly a citizen of the world." If I could travel back in time, I would love to have the opportunity to meet Ike; I admire his sincere passion for country and duty, and his ambition to reach the top ladder amidst all the challenges he had faced. Although he grew up and was buried in Kansas, Ike was still a Texan at heart.

For further information on Ike, I would recommend reading Dwight D. Eisenhower by Tom Wicker (New York: Times Books, 2002).