Ray Barker Ray Wehnes Barker ( December 10 , 1889 – June 28 , 1974 ) was a Major General of the Allied Forces , and served in the European Theater of Operations During World War II . General Barker was a key member of the combined United States - British group , which became known as COSSAC ( Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander ) . This group planned the Battle of Normandy , codenamed " Operation Overlord " , also known as D - Day , which liberated Occupied France . He served as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the European Theater from 1943 – 1944 , and Deputy Chief of Staff for Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force . Early and Military Professional Life . Ray Barker was born in New York City and enlisted in the Army first serving with the 15th Cavalry from 1910 to 1913 . He was commissioned as an officer in the Cavalry in 1913 , later participating in the Punitive Expedition into Mexico ( Pancho Villa Expedition ) from 1916 to 1917 . Thereafter , he transferred to the field artillery and accompanied the 13th Field Artillery to France in World War I . He served in the Marne - Vesle and Meuse - Argonne offensives . In 1928 , he graduated from the Command and General Staff School , and in 1940 from the Army War College . He was the commanding officer of 31st Field Artillery from June 1940 to April 1941 . He commanded the 30th Field Artillery from June 1941 until April 1942 . After promotion to brigadier general in July 1942 , he later became the Deputy Chief of Staff of the European Theater from 1943 – 1944 , and Deputy Chief of Staff for Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force . He was promoted to major general in June 1943 . In January 1946 he assumed command of the 78th Infantry Division , headquartered in Berlin , succeeding Major General Edwin Parker . He was commander supervising demilitarization of Germany until the deactivation of the 78th in May 1946 ( see : commandants of Berlin American Zone ) . Major General Ray Baker retired from the military in February 1947 . Decorations . His decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal , Legion of Merit and the Bronze Star Medal or Soldier ' s Medal . Negotiations . In 1945 , Major General Ray Barker , the SHAEF Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel ( G - 1 ) , was the officer responsible for recovery of Allied POW s . Between 16 and 22 May 1945 , Major General Ray W . Barker , and Lieutenant General K . D . Golubev , representing the Soviet repatriation authority , met at Halle , Germany . The general principles agreed to at Yalta provided the framework for the Halle discussions . With respect to the return of western Allied prisoners , the Halle meeting centered on working out the administrative details for the prompt release and return to SHAEF control of all British and American POWs , using available air or motor transport . Despite the seemingly straight forward - nature of this problem , the Soviets prolonged the negotiations , citing practical and administrative obstacles and tying rapid release of American , British , and other Allied POWs to repatriation of all Soviet prisoners and displaced persons in the West , many of whom did not want to return to the Soviet Union . The conferees finally reached agreement on a plan in the early morning hours of 22 May . They finalized delivery and reception points for each side , transportation plans , daily transit capacities of each of the reception - delivery points , and other details . Barker and Golubev signed the Halle Agreement on 22 May 1945 . However , most Americans liberated by the Soviets in central Germany and along the Baltic coast , had been exchanged by local arrangement prior to implementation of the Halle Agreement on 23 May . Post Army Career and The Manlius School . Ray Barker served as the headmaster at The Manlius School , an independent , non - sectarian , college - preparatory military school for boys in the town of Manlius in Central New York . Barker served from 1946 until 1960 . During this tenure , he accompanied retired general Lucius Clay on a trip to Berlin Germany for the dedication of that city ' s Liberty Bell on October 24 , 1950 .