(1893–1981), U.S. Army officer. The 12th Army Group, which helped defeat Germany in World War II, was commanded by Gen. Omar Bradley. Bradley was born on Feb. 12, 1893, in Clark, Mo. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., in 1915. Between the wars he moved up in rank, graduating from the Army Infantry School (1925), the Command and General Staff School (1929), and the Army War College (1934). He taught at West Point for two separate terms before being transferred to the general staff in Washington, D.C. His first combat duties in World War II were in North Africa, where he commanded the victorious drive of the U.S. 2nd Corps into Tunisia. He then led his troops in the Sicilian invasion of 1943. Later that year he was transferred to England and given command of the 1st Army in preparation for the Normandy landing of 1944. He was next given command of the 12th Army Group After the war Bradley served as administrator of veterans' affairs (1945–47), U.S. Army chief of staff (1948–49), and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1949–53). In 1950 he was raised to the rank of general of the Army. Bradley retired from the service in 1953. He died in New York City on April 8, 1981.