War-dated ALS signed “Ike,” two pages, lightly-lined, 8 x 10.5, July 11, 1944. Letter home to his wife, Mamie, in part: "Lately I saw a piece in the paper which intimated that on 4th July in France I was exceedingly reckless & 'showing off.' Pay no attention to such tales. I'm most careful—and I'm not talking for effect. Ask Johnny [Eisenhower] how promptly I duck to the shelter when the 'Buzzers' come around! Tell him I spent the last 2 nights at the camp. I didn't mean to upset you with 'advice.' I was merely philosophizing on the basis of what I thought John needs, etc. Forget it! I'm always a bit off key when I try to talk seriously—at least when I try to talk about John. (There goes the warning—now we'll see whether I get an 'imminent' warning!) Just had a long letter from Milton. It appears that the motion picture thing may go forward. In a way I'm sorry, because from a personal viewpoint none of us has anything to gain—and some embarrassment might ensue. But there is a possibility of doing good, I think, so any personal embarrassment is worth chancing!” In fine condition.
On July 4, 1944, Eisenhower left his headquarters in Portsmouth to visit Allied positions in Normandy with General Omar Bradley; during his trip, he took what was supposed to be a quiet flight aboard a P-47 to get a better view of the battlefields. When he returned to the airstrip, he found himself surrounded by Signal Corps photographers and the story quickly made it to the press. Much to Eisenhower's chagrin, the flight was characterized as a reckless stunt; even his personal aide, Sgt. Mickey McKeogh, described it as ‘one of the few unnecessary chances I ever saw him take.’ A superb wartime letter revealing a cross-section of Ike as both a courageous soldier and warm husband. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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