The birthday when Ike heard “thank you”

People To People International:

Dwight D. Eisenhower was born on this day in 1890. Of course we all know that President Eisenhower founded this great organization, but today we’ll focus on a few facts that are perhaps less well known. Our President and CEO, Mary Jean Eisenhower, wrote the following about what turned out to be her grandfather’s last birthday.

October 14, 1968

Former President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower lay sunken in his hospital bed, on a sunny autumn afternoon at Walter Reed Army Medical center. He was still recovering from his seventh massive heart attack, it was his 78th birthday. The man, who led the Allied Forces during WWII, was now unable to get out of bed without help. He was antsy and he was tired. The family and a few very close friends were there, it was his birthday. Cards, flowers and well wishes adorned the room he had occupied for so many months. Just down the hall from him on Ward 8 was Senator Strom Thurmond, eventually the longest serving US Senator in history (until passed by Byrd), he was 11 years my grandfather’s junior.

There were many other heroes on Ward 8, in fact, oddly enough I was born in the same room I was visiting my grandfather in, and he would eventually die there.

To understand the rest of the story, you have to understand a little more about my grandfather, the soldier. The night before deployment (D-Day), he spent the entire night walking around with the troops. Why? Because he felt responsible for all of them, and looked at them as his own family. He made small talk; he talked to them about their own lives and families. I will never understand the deep impact WWII had on him, only how he tried to convey it. When asked why he spent the night with the troops he said, “I knew I was sending over half of them to their deaths, I felt they deserved to know the man who was doing this.” And after, a note thrown away was recovered. Written in his hand, on a small piece of paper, was apparently what he had planned to say should there have been failure. Paraphrased, he took full responsibility in the event of failure. In the end though, he gave full credit to the troops.

Fast forward to this day in 1968, which would end up being his last birthday. As I mentioned earlier, he was a very positive person, and was politely joking and trying to look like he was enjoying the “camp out” celebration. The room got quiet for an extended period. My grandmother, Mamie, sat on the edge of his bed, holding his hand; he was staring up at the ceiling. He looked ashen and parched.

After a while there was the faint sound of a military band. They were playing “Edelweiss”, his favorite song. The music got progressively louder and Mamie jumped off of the bed and looked out of the window. His face got colored and flushed and his huge grin lit up like a firework, and he asked her, “Is it them?” She swiftly turned around and got the doctor. They quickly disconnected Granddad from his machines and hoisted him on to a wheel chair, driving him rapidly to the window. Mamie grabbed his “General’s” Flag and put it in his hand. He leaned out of the window and waved it while the Marine Band played “Happy Birthday” to him under the room.

President Eisenhower with his wife Mamie on October 14, 1968

When they finished, they saluted him and crisply marched away. The doctor and my grandmother pulled him back to his bed. While being re-hooked to his machines, he looked at my grandmother as he never did another and said, “Well, Mamie, maybe I have lived long enough.” I believe translated, he finally heard, from the men and women he treasured all of his life, “Thank you for your service.”

As it was, he passed away in March of 1969. When we were grieving, I often hung on to the memory of his last birthday and remember that fire cracking grin when he heard the music.