Evening star., 1944-06-06
Eisenhower Stands
On Roof 10 Watch
Air Armada in Skies
By E. v. ROBERTS,

Air Armada in Skies
BY E. v. ROBERTS,
Representing the Combined American
Press. Distributed by tn. Associated
Press.
ALLIED ADVANCED COMMAND
POST IN ENGLAND, June g.
Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower stooc
on a rooftop on invasion eve anc
B. watched mighty air-borne armada
form in the sky and wing It's way
toward France and the beginning
Of the final phase Of the war OF
liberation.
The supreme commander radiated
q calm confidence contagious to
those about him. He spent the
greater part of the day among the
troops, sea-borne and air-borne
walking from group to group, chat
ting and laughing with the men.
At 2:30 pm. Monday Gen. Eisen-
hover met with a small group OF
British and American press and
radio representatives here. He told
us that the invasion of Europe
would be launched Tuesday and the
machinery already was in motion
We were informed the operation
: would be the largest of its type
ever launched and that the Allies
had assembled their mightiest land
sea and air force for the purpose
Talks for Hour and Half.
Gen. Eisenhower talked to us fol
an hour and a half. The conference
took place in his command tent, q
plain, bare-walled structure about
40 feet square with canvas roof and
walls of stained pine boards.
At the start he greeted each of III
with a handshake and friendly, lop-
sided grin. He stressed the impor.
tance of the job his staff officers,
British and American. had done in
preparing and launching the blow
and spoke earnestly of his desire to
emphasize this.
The weather, we learned, had been
the biggest Allied headache in the
selection of D-day. At one time
Gen. Eisenhower interrupted his dis
course to look out OF the door and
comment with enthusiasm upon a
patch of sunshine. The general sat
comfortably slouched behind his big
battered desk. On the desktop was
green telephone, a desk lamp and
tIkwen and a packet Of cigarettes
During the conference he occasion
ally leaned forward to tap with 9
finger for emphasis.
Impressed by His Calm.
He smoked constantly, sometimes
lighting one cigarette from another
Beyond that he made no comment
He did not appear to notice the
express train roar of constant Al
lied air patrols overhead
After the conference he stooo
outside, hatless and with hands ir
pockets and chatted with us in
formally. We remarked upon hi,
calmness and I asked him. Don't
these things make you nervous?'
He chuckled and said he was thu
type that boiled up inside but that
when things got too bad he was
usually able to sleep it of.
He told us then that he planned
10 visit the airborne units during
the evening and that before turning
IN he would probably read a little
philosophy or Wild West story
We correspondents were permitted
to tag along on the supreme com.
mander'S visit to the airborne units
but only with the understandings
that we would remain definitely ir
the background. There is a warm
personal relationship between Gen
Eisenhower and his men and he
made 1t clear to us that he wished
1t to remain personal.
Walks Alone Among His Men.
AS we swept along a road over.
looking coastal town en- route tt
the air-borne bases we could see 6
great flotilla of landing craft out al
sea. At the air-borne assembly
areas Gen. Eisenhower walkec
swiftly and alone through the group.
Of men where they were drawn ur
at attention. He asked that they
be placed at ease.
He stopped frequently. pickinf
men at random to talk with. Otter
he was completely surrounded by the
men and they trooped after him
laughing and joking like schoolboys
! estimate that during the evening
hours he talked with several hun.
dred men individually. He asked
them where they were from-ht
seemed determined to find a para.
trooper from his home State O
Kansas-and what they did in ci
villain life and what their Army jol
was.
Then he added personal touches
He asked youngster where he got
his haircut and an ex-Dakota farm.
er how much wheat he grew pei
acre. He asked about the weird wal
paint of the paratroopers and wa!
told 1t was mixture of cocoa anc
cottonseed oil. 1t tastes good, ont
trooper told him
The supreme commanders party
reached the last base just at take.
OF time. At seven-second interval.
the big CATS roared off the run.
way and lurched into the sky in 4
seemingly endless stream.
Gen. Eisenhower was escorted tc
the roof OF headquarters for a bet.
ter view as they circled above com.
ing into formation for the grea
task ahead. He turned his fac,
toward France and watched then
vanish In the darkening sky.