Omar Bradley

Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893 – April 8, 1981) was one of the main U.S. Army field commanders in North Africa and Europe during the World War II and a General of the Army of the United States Army.

Summary of service

Dates of rank

• Second Lieutenant, United States Army: June 12, 1915
• First Lieutenant, United States Army: October 13, 1916
• Captain, United States Army: August 22, 1917
• Major, National Army: July 17, 1918
• Captain, Regular Army (reverted to peacetime rank): November 4, 1922
• Major, Regular Army: June 27, 1924
• Lieutenant Colonel, Regular Army: July 22, 1936
• Brigadier General (Temporary), Regular Army: February 24, 1941
• Major General, Army of the United States: February 18, 1942
• Lieutenant General, Army of the United States: June 9, 1943
• Promoted to permanent rank of Colonel in the Regular Army: November 13, 1943
• General, Army of the United States: March 29, 1945
• Appointed a General in the Regular Army: January 31, 1949
• General of the Army: September 22, 1950

Primary decorations

• Army Distinguished Service Medal (w/three oak leaf clusters)
• Navy Distinguished Service Medal
• Silver Star
• Legion of Merit (w/oak leaf cluster)
• Bronze Star Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
• Army of Occupation Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• World War I Victory Medal
• American Defense Service Medal
• Mexican Border Service Medal

Assignment history

• 1915: 14th Infantry Regiment
• 1919: ROTC professor, South Dakota State College
• 1920: Instructor, United States Military Academy (West Point)
• 1924: Infantry School Student, Fort Benning, Georgia
• 1925: Commanding Officer, 19th and 27th Infantry Regiments
• 1927: Office of National Guard and Reserve Affairs, Hawaiian Department
• 1928: Student, Command and General Staff School
• 1929: Instructor, Fort Benning Infantry School
• 1934: Plans and Training Office, USMA West Point
• 1938: War Department General Staff, G-1 Chief of Operations Branch and Assistant Secretary of the General Staff
• 1941: Commandant, Infantry School Fort Benning
• 1942: Commanding General, 82nd Infantry Division and 28th Infantry Division
• 1943: Commanding General, II Corps, North Africa and Sicily
• 1943: Commanding General, Field Forces European Theater
• 1944: Commanding General, First Army (Later 1st and 12th U.S. Army Groups)
• 1945: Administrator of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Administration
• 1948: United States Army Chief of Staff
• 1949: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• 1953: Retired from active service