Omar N. Bradley
Omar Bradley Birth name Omar Nelson Bradley Nickname(s) "Brad", "The G.I. ' s General" Born (1893-02-12)February 12, 1893 Randolph County, Missouri, U.S. Died April 8, 1981(1981-04-08) (aged 88) New York City, New York, U.S. Buried at Arlington National Cemetery Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. Allegiance  United States of America Service/branch  United States Army Years of service 1915–1981 Rank General of the Army Commands held Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chief of Staff of the United States Army 82nd Infantry Division 28th Infantry Division U.S. II Corps First Army 12th Army Group Battles/wars World War II Korean War Awards Silver Star Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Presidential Medal of Freedom Croix de guerre Luxembourg War Cross Order of Polonia Restituta (Commander's Cross) Order of Suvorov (1st Class) Order of Kutuzov (1st Class) Order of the Bath (Knight Commander) Signature Omar Nelson "Brad" Bradley (February 12, 1893 – April 8, 1981) was a United States Army field commander in North Africa and Europe during World War II, and a General of the Army. From the Normandy landings through the end of the war in Europe, Bradley had command of all U.S. ground forces invading Germany from the west; he ultimately commanded forty-three divisions and 1.3 million men, the largest body of American soldiers ever to serve under a U.S. field commander. After the war, Bradley headed the Veterans Administration and became Chief of Staff of the United States Army. In 1949, he was appointed the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the following year oversaw the policy-making for the Korean War, before retiring from active service in 1953. Bradley was the last of only nine people to hold five-star rank in the United States Armed Forces.