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Key Figures and Groups of WWII. George Patton. General Patton was one of the commanders of the forces that invaded North Africa and Sicily. He was a tough leader and played an important role in the use of tanks. . Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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George Patton • General Patton was one of the commanders of the forces that invaded North Africa and Sicily. • He was a tough leader and played an important role in the use of tanks.
Dwight D. Eisenhower • General Eisenhower commanded the allied invasion of Normandy, known as D-Day. • He was the supreme allied commander in the European Theatre of WWII.
Omar Bradley • General Bradley was selected by Eisenhower to lead the first American army to land in Normandy, France on D-Day. • He was noted for his concern for individual soldiers and his ability to organize troops.
Douglas MacArthur • General MacArthur was the supreme allied commander in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. • Using the strategy of “island-hopping”, his forces were able to get closer and closer to Japan’s home islands.
Chester Nimitz • Admiral Nimitz was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific fleet just after Pearl Harbor. • He commanded the U.S. naval forces during major battles of the Pacific.
George Marshall • General Marshall acted as Chief of Staff and the “organizer of victory” in Washington, D.C. • He worked closely with President Roosevelt to build and supply an army of 8 million men.
Audie Murphy • Murphy was one of the most famous and decorated soldiers of WWII. • He earned the Medal of Honor while serving in the European theatre.
Vernon Baker • Baker was one of the first African-American soldiers to see combat in the war. • He emerged as a symbol of courage and received medals such as the purple heart, bronze star and the congressional medal of honor 52 years after the war had ended.
The Flying Tigers • The Flying Tigers were a group of volunteer American fighter pilots who helped move supplies to allies in China fighting the Japanese. • They were able to help slow the Japanese expansion in Asia.
Navajo Code Talkers • This group of Native Americans played a key role in the Pacific campaign. • The code was undecipherable by the Japanese, because the language is unwritten and very complex.
Tuskegee Airmen • The Tuskegee Airmen were an African-American fighter group in the Air Corps. • They provided escorts for bombers and performed so well in combat that they were often specifically requested for their support.