they had known each other in panama in the early 1920's. they used out all these fine heated debates. it started up again when he took office. his friend was against any kind of federal where fair -- welfare at all. cites that there is no more free land were untouched natural resources. since these are no longer here, the government has to play that role. that is why eisenhower tells his friend eddie's rated social security to include another 10 million people. there is an interesting connection between him and the old west and how that expresses itself politically. you do not have pop quizzes without a final. we have another question. eisenhower launched the d-day invasion and talked to the men of the airborne division. there was really nothing he could do until the first reports started coming back, saying how the initial party invasion was going. found ikeck and propped up in his bed reading a western. he looked at him, lit a cigarette and went back to reading his western. there was nothing else he could do during that time. he was relyi

they had known each other in panama and the early 20's. as he said in one of his letters, they had heated debates, sort of like discussing politics. it started up when he took office. he was against any kind of federal welfare. him, ofer described course he sites that there is no and -- andand in untouched natural resources. and the government has to step in and play that role and that is white house it -- eisenhower expanded social security to include another 10 million people. there is a really interesting the oldon between ike, west and the frontier and how it expresses itself politically. you do not have pop quizzes without a final. another question, i'm sure a lot of you know the answer to this one. eisenhower lost the d-day invasion when they talk to the men of the 105th air force division. talking to the paratroopers. it was nothing he could do until the report started coming back saying how the initial part of the invasion was going. aid recorded in his diary, he went back and found ike in his bed reading a western. he stuck his he

he had a horse in panama named blacky whom he adored. it is interesting the number of pages he devotes to blackie. blackie knew all sorts of tricks, and then he had horses in retirement. he always maintained that connection. and his retirement home in gettysburg he raised angus cattle. he was a bit of a stockman throughout his life. >> david combs from grand junk, colorado. >> welcome. >> thank you. kind of a note here, last few years i've been on a quest to see as many presidential museums as i can and this is the fourth one for me. i usually read a biography beforehand. i will say the best way is not to try to do it in one day. i realize now, at least a night. i just read this biography by gene edward smith. >> yes. >> so maybe it prompts this question, maybe it is too daring of a question. i wonder if he also liked westerns? >> i have seen record of that. there are pictures of horseback during world war two, but nothing in the record about her taste in literature. >> what did ike's parents do? were they ranchers, farmers? >> what did

generations of west point graduates have assumed, -- leading around the globe in places such as vietnam, panama, bosnia, and most recently iraq and afghanistan. my classmates and i grew up in a nation at war. when we chose to come to west point, we knew we would enter the army as officers in a nation still at war. like the generations who came before us we did not know for , sure what would be demanded of us, but we can say for certainty that we are ready. we are ready because of the example and inspiration of those like general eisenhower who came before us, upon his shoulders today and future generations of west point is now stand. we are grateful to general eisenhower and members of the greatest generation for their legacy of duty and selfless service to country. we are grateful for the inspiration they have given this generation. we proudly and happily commit ourselves to continuing that legacy, so that future generations may be inspired by their example. general, president, and above all, a leader of character, dwight d eisenhower's life and career were dedicated to his , water, duty, hono