Eisenhower rubs his seven luck-pieces as Allied invasion fleet approaches Sicily
By Edward Gilling
Allied HQ, North Africa – (July 10)
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower always carries in his pocket seven old coins, including a gold five-guinea piece.
As the Allied invasion fleet approached Sicily last night to begin the great assault on Europe, the general gave them one good rub for luck. In fact, as one of his aides said, he gave them several good rubs.
In the early hours of the morning, the general heard that the landing had been made and that everything was going according to plan. Gen. Eisenhower spent all night at headquarters, except for one brief period when he drove out to the coast with a small party of his staff to watch an Allied air fleet leaving.
Climbing out of his car, he stood in moonlight with his hand raised to salute the air armada. The period of waiting between the planning of the assault and its realization was over.
Returning to headquarters, Gen. Eisenhower went at once to the naval section, where he joined his staff in following closely the movement of the operations on charts. He spent some time in the Fighter Command room, from which the air umbrella covering the operations was controlled.
At 1:30 a.m., Gen. Eisenhower, apparently satisfied with the progress of operations, went to bed on a cot in a room next to the war room. He slept soundly for three hours until awakened at 4:30 a.m. by an aide who informed him that assault troops had landed and that everything was going according to plan.
The Royal Navy served the general with a cup of hot tea and he then returned to the war room, where reports were now coming in regularly. He remained there until he heard the BBC broadcast his message telling the people of France that this was the first stage of the invasion of the continent, which would be followed by others.
Gen. Eisenhower then left the war room, but only for a change of clothes. He soon returned to follow with his commanders the progress of operations.