Evening star., 1948-02-07
President Sees
Bradley Take
.0athatPentagon
Ceremony for New
Army Chief of Stoff
Sets Precedent
By John A. Giles

In ceremony at the Pentagon
attended by President Truman
and the Nations top military
leaders, Gen. Omar N. Bradley
today succeeded Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower as Army chief Of
Staff.
The 15-minute ceremony was
without precedent, since such oath
taking exercises with the President
in attendance usually are held in the
White House. Original plans had
called for the event to take place
in Mr.. Truman's office, but they were
changed without explanation.
In final press conference as
Chief of Staff earlier in the day,
Gen. Eisenhower called for pay raises
for officers. higher premium pay in
all ranks for some overseas service
and permanent Womens Army
Corps to help meet the Army's very
serious manpower problem.
Truman Decorates Eisenhower.
The President pinned a Distin-
guished Service Medal on Gen.
Eisenhower at the ceremony in
recognition of his services as Chief
of Staff. 1t was the generals fourth
DSM.
Gen. Eisenhower administered
the oath to Gen. Bradley, after
which Secretary of the Army Royal
presented him with his commission
as Chief of Staff.
Before the President gave Gen.
Eisenhower his latest decoration,
Maj. Gen. Edward F. Witsell, the
Armys adjutant general, read the
citation.
The citation was for exception
ally meritorious and distinguished
service as Chief of Staff, United
States Army" and was signed by
the President.
Gift Is Autographed.
Gen. Eisenhower also received q
silver cigarette box from the Chief
Executive which was autographed
by Mr.. Truman and the members
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
After Gen. Bradley took the oath,
Gen. Eisenhower declared that
with those words you have a job"
Mr.. Royal told Gen, Bradley that
Il am sure you will prove to be a
worthy successor to great chief of
staff"
Following the ceremony in Mr..
Royals Office, the party moved to
larger conference room for a re-
enactment for photographers, news
reels and radio networks.
Among those present were: Mrs.
Bradley, Mrs. John Sheldon Doud
|of Denver Colo, Gen. Eisenhower's
mother-i n-law; Secretary of De-
fense Forrestal. Admiral Louis Den
field, chief of naval operations; Gen.
Carl SpaatZ. Air Force chief of staff;
Senator McKellar, Democrat, OF
Tennessee and Representative An
drews, Republican, of New York,
chairman of the House Armed Serv-
ices Committee.
Closely Associated.
Gen. Bradley, who was born in
Clark, Mo, on February 12, 1898,
was graduated from the Military
Academy in 1915. Early in 1943 he
was called to the North African
theater where his classmate, Gen.
Eisenhower placed him in command
of the I'd Corps. From that day on
the two generals were closely asso-
ciated throughout World War II.
Gen. Eisenhower said at his press
conference, never a week passed
that we were not in close contact"
StreSsing what he called the very
serious manpoWer problems facing
the armed forces, Gen. Eisenhower
said the Army must have the follow
ing:
/. Greater overseas pay in such
areas as Korea and the far Pacific
islands. The fact that recruits may
be sent to occupation forces in those
areas, he said. places a damper on
the whole enlistment program.
Twenty per cent in addition to base
pay is now paid for all overseas
duty.
2. More pay for officers, especially
those in the ranks from second
lieutenant through colonel. These
pay rates have remained almost
(See BRADLEY Page Aba