Eisenhower visits beachhead in France
By Howard Cowan, representing combined U.S. press
A SHAEF ACP – (July 25, delayed)
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower visited the Allied beachhead in Normandy for the sixth time today to hold eleventh-hour conferences with Gen. Sir Bernard L. Montgomery and Lt. Gen. Omar N. Bradley before U.S. and British ground forces merged in an all-out attack.
After crossing the channel in his private plane, escorted by four Spitfire fighters from the dominions, the general took time out to talk with G.I.’s at the landing strip while waiting for a transport train to Gen. B. L. Montgomery’s headquarters.
Sgt. Griffith Harris of Cos Cob, Connecticut, shoved a five-dollar bill at the Supreme Commander and asked him to sign it for a short-snorter collection.
The general joked about trading a one-dollar bill for the five as he grinned and scrawled his name.
By that time, more than 50 other G.I.’s were digging out bills. The general signed them all.