Dwight David Eisenhower, the 34^th President of the United States of America, was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas and raised in Abilene, Kansas, where the family moved to in 1892. He was the third of seven sons born to their parents, David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Elizabeth (Stover) Eisenhower. He was elected twice to the President’s office and served from 1953 to 1961 as the President of the United States of America.

Let’s take a look at some serious facts about Dwight David Eisenhower:

1. Did you know that Dwight Eisenhower was one of the only three Presidents (Ulysses S. Grant and Jimmy carter being the other two) to graduate from a military academy?
2. Did you know that Dwight Eisenhower was the first U.S President to get a Pilots License? His pilots license was issued on the 30^th of November, 1939.
3. Did you know that after graduating from West Point, Eisenhower went through many years of frustration and disappointment as he never got to face a war. World War I came to an end just a week before he was due to leave to Europe. However, after the United States entered World War II, there was no stopping this ambitious man, who went from the lowly rank of lieutenant colonel in the Philippines to the Commander of the greatest invasion force in the history of the world.
4. Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander of ‘Operation Overlord’ that led the Allied forces invading the beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day, 6 June, 1944.
5. Did you know that Dwight’s parents were originally Mennonites, who later became Jehovah’s Witnesses? His mother, especially, was a pacifist who was against war, but she never stopped him from pursuing his ambitions. Given his parents’ faith, it is quite ironic that Dwight Eisenhower was one of the only 5 men to be given a 5th Star as a General.
6. Did you know that for a man who went on to oversee some of America’s greatest military accomplishments, Dwight Eisenhower had never seen a single day of active combat?
7. In 1948, Eisenhower became the President of the Columbia University, turning down the invitation to join politics.
8. Did you know that Eisenhower was the first Supreme Commander of the newly formed North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1950?
9. In 1952, Eisenhower became the Republican candidate in the presidential election and won by a landslide victory defeating his rival, Democrat Adlai Stevenson, not once, but twice, again in 1956 while running for a second term at office.

Now for some rib-tickling facts about President Eisenhower.

1. Did you know that Dwight Eisenhower’s nickname was ‘Ike’?
2. Did you know that President Eisenhower was the first President to appear on color television? It happened on June 6, 1955, during his 40^th Class Reunion at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
3. Did you know that President Eisenhower was one of the six Presidents whose names were legally changed? Actually, it was Dwight’s mother who changed his name from David Dwight Eisenhower to Dwight David Eisenhower to avoid having two Davids at home.
4. Did you know that Dwight Eisenhower was a superstitious man? He always carried three coins with him for lady luck to be with him always!
5. Did you know that General Ike’s Presidential campaign was noted for the otherwise simple but effective slogan “I like Ike?”
6. Did you know that as a kid, Dwight Eisenhower suffered an injury to his leg and doctors advised for him to be amputated due to a spreading infection? But, Dwight refused to be amputated and miraculously recovered though he ended up repeating his Freshman Year.
7. Did you know that Dwight Eisenhower was the first bald President of the United States?
8. Did you know that Camp David – the official retreat of the U.S. Presidents – takes its name after Dwight Eisenhower’s son – also named David like Dwight’s father?
9. Did you know that Eisenhower was the first non-British person to command the Rock of Gibraltar in 200 years?