Sleeping Giants

by Nathan Mellor

  Currently, York College is home to nearly 500 students from 30 states and 15 countries. The 50-acre campus includes several academic buildings, multi-storied dormitories, an expansive student center, a gym, a large field house, a performing arts center, and a prayer chapel. The chapel was initially constructed in another location in 1901 but was moved to the campus in 1999 and restored over the next five years. The peaceful and tree-lined campus is linked together by web of sidewalks. The grounds are well maintained, and the grass is lush and dark green in the warmer months. In the evenings, it is the ideal place for a stroll.

  As Steve and I talked; we found that we had many shared interests. Among those interests was providing leadership development experiences for high school students. I felt an instant bond with him and decided to share an idea that I had been considering to see if he would be interested in partnering to make it happen.

  To set the stage for the idea I wanted to share, I told him a story about an opportunity that my brother had when he was in high school. When Matt was a junior, he and a classmate were selected to participate in a program called the Presidential Classroom. The weeklong learning experience was hosted in Washington, D.C. and was designed for high school students from across the United States. Converging on the nation’s capital, student leaders were given an opportunity to learn about themselves and the political process.

  It was an honor to be selected for the program. Not only would he represent his family and friends, but he would also represent our school. As the younger brother, there are a few moments in life when you feel a sense of admiration for your older sibling, and this was one. What I remember most was his confidence. He was traveling to the nation’s capital and did not seem fazed by it at all. It was a special moment for him and our family, and I have never forgotten how it felt to see him go.

  I told Dr. Eckman that I wanted to help create similar moments for other families by launching a leadership program for students. Instead of hosting the program in Washington, D.C., however, I thought it would be interesting to partner with a presidential library. If we partnered with a college like York, we could host the bulk of the program on campus while spending a day visiting a presidential library. Finally, instead of asking individuals to attend the program, I thought it would be more impactful if we could design the experience for small groups of leaders from the same schools.

  Leading a college or university is an incredibly challenging job. Among those challenges is the responsibility of balancing the needs and interests of a diverse constituency. To help avoid the fallout from political landmines, it is not uncommon for institutions to select presidents who are risk averse. Although this approach may be prudent, especially if the institution has experienced several missteps, it also means they are slow to consider new ways of doing things. Therefore, when I presented the idea to Dr. Eckman, my expectations were not too high. It would not have surprised me if he had responded with something like, “That is an interesting concept. Would you mind putting the concept on paper so I could share it with a committee that oversees these types of projects?”

  Dr. Eckman listened to the idea. He paused for a moment and then said, “I think York would be interested in partnering.” He looked me in the eye and said, “What do we need to do next?”

  THE PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

  Within an hour, the core concepts had been formed, and over the next few weeks, the program took shape. An experienced leader, Dr. Eckman offered suggestions that enhanced and improved the original concept. Designed for ten high schools that would each send four to six students, along with sponsors, the program would bring together a sampling of schools from throughout the United States. During the weeklong program, each student group would focus on a specific challenge facing their school. At the end of the experience, each group would present to their peers what they planned to do in the upcoming school year to address the challenge. The program was named the Presidential Leadership Institute (PLI).

  With York College on board, the next hurdle was trying to find a presidential library within driving distance of York that would be interested in partnering on the concept. To assist, I reached out to a friend, Mark Stansberry, whom I knew had a connection with Mary Eisenhower, President Eisenhower’s granddaughter.

  Among the many contributions President Eisenhower made to the betterment of the world was the creation of the non-profit People to People International (PTPI). Believing that “peaceful relations between nations requires understanding and mutual respect between individuals,” he wanted to help create a way for people from around the world to connect with one another.3 Launched on September 11, 1956, the PTPI mission was to “enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural, and humanitarian activities involving the exchange of ideas and experiences directly among peoples of different countries and diverse cultures.”4 When I approached Mark about the concept of the Presidential Leadership Institute, he was volunteering as the chairman of the PTPI board, and Mary was the CEO.

  Mark said he would be willing to connect with Mary to see if it was something that was of interest to her and PTPI. He relayed the concept, and she agreed to participate. Also, Mark connected with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Library, just under 3 hours away from York in Abilene, Kansas, to see if they would be interested in helping with the program as well. They both agreed.

  One of the goals of PLI is to keep the cost as low as possible while maintaining a commitment to a world-class experience. Consequently, we ask each of our speakers to waive their standard speaking fees and donate their time as an investment in future leaders. Although we cannot offer an honorarium, we do provide a highly receptive audience of high school students and genuine appreciation for their contribution of time and effort. In addition to the generosity of the Eisenhower Library and Museum and York College, we have also been inspired by the hospitality of the state of Nebraska. Not only does the state host PLI at the capitol building, but the governor also hosts the group for lunch and a presentation in the Nebraska Governor’s Mansion.

  Each day at PLI there are potentially life-changing moments. With that said, the day the group travels to Abilene, Kansas, to go to the Eisenhower Museum and Library is considered the highlight of the week. The night before, two talented faculty members from York College, Christi Lones, and Dr. Tim McNeese provide a compelling overview of the life of President Eisenhower.

  To get to the library with plenty of time, the group leaves early in the morning. The students grab breakfast-to-go as they load on the tour bus. When they arrive at the library, the bus pulls in to a side parking lot from which the students can see the Eisenhower home, the museum, library, and gift shop. They can also see the Place of Meditation. This special site is where the 34th president and First Lady Eisenhower are buried alongside their firstborn son, Doud, who died at the age of 3 due to Scarlet Fever.

  Although the students are looking forward to the overall experience, they are most excited about the opportunity to meet Mary Eisenhower. After watching an introductory video about the Eisenhower era, Mary welcomes the students. Following her welcome, she takes questions from the group. One student after another asks questions about what it was like living in the White House, questions about the Eisenhower family, and the pros and cons of growing up in a family known throughout the world.

  THIS ONE IS SPECIAL

  Following her presentation, which is in the library, the group crosses over a large courtyard to begin the tour of the museum. Although I am sure the docents are talented, there is nothing like being able to walk through the Eisenhower museum with an Eisenhower. Mary graciously leads the tour, and her stories transfix the students.

  As the students make their way through the museum, I try to take photos of them, the faculty, and the staff interacting with Mary. I was standing a few feet from Mary when she stopped in front of a display that showcases an iconic picture with her grandfather and a
paratrooper along with the paratrooper’s uniform. She said, “This one is special.”

  She pointed to the soldier in the picture5 who wore a simple placard around his neck with the number “23” on it. The man to whom she was pointing was 1st Lieutenant Wallace “Wally” Strobel from Saginaw, Michigan. Strobel was from Company E, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. The uniform preserved in the display was the one he was wearing when the picture was taken. As the jumpmaster, he was assigned to plane number 23, which was why he had the sign around his neck.6

  The photo was taken about 8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 1944, at the Greenham Common Airfield in England. A little more than four hours later, Strobel and the 15 to 18 paratroopers assigned to him would be dropped in Zone A, which was behind enemy lines.7 Amazingly, June 5th was not only the day before D-Day, but it was also Wally’s 22nd birthday.

  “I grew up looking at that picture,” Mary said. “I got to meet number 23. When I met him, I told him that I had looked at his picture my entire life, and I had wondered what he and granddad were talking about. He told me that granddad had asked him where he was from, and when he replied ‘Michigan,’ he followed up by asking him about the fishing there.”

  In the iconic photo, General Eisenhower is gesturing with his right arm. In Mary’s conversation with Strobel, she learned that this moment is not entirely what it appears to be. Her grandfather’s gesture, which many assumed was the general making an important point to the men, was in fact, the general demonstrating his form with an imaginary fly rod.

  Although Wally knew the picture of him with the general was a famous photo, he did not make too much of it nor did he go out of his way to let people know he was the one to whom General Eisenhower was speaking. It was not until 1984 that he was officially identified in the photo when a Defense Department employee saw the picture sitting on a table and commented, “That’s Wally Strobel. He’s a neighbor of my brother’s in Saginaw.”8

  THE DECISION

  General Eisenhower believed that an airborne landing strategy would play the critical role in the success or failure of the amphibious landings. The paratroopers and glider troops would be dropped behind enemy lines to disrupt the German response and to protect bridges and other strategic targets. The plan was bold, but the strength and effectiveness of the German response remained unknown.

  Just 6 days earlier, British Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory met with Eisenhower to ask him to reconsider the use of the airborne landing strategy. Assigned to the Allies, Leigh-Mallory had the title of Air Commander in Chief, which made him responsible for what happened in the skies on D-Day. Conflicted by how close his appeal was to the actual event, Leigh-Mallory had gone through the scenario time and again and was convinced the cost would not outweigh the benefit. He estimated, “casualties to glider troops would be 90% before they ever reached the ground,” and “the killed and wounded among the paratroopers would be 75%.”9

  It was windy, cold, and drizzling when General Eisenhower was driven the one-mile distance from his sleeping quarters to the Southwick House for his daily 4:00 a.m. meeting. Southwick is a grand manor house built in the late Georgian style. When he arrived, Eisenhower and the others convened in the conference room. Before the war, the 25-by-50-foot meeting room had been a stately library.

  On the morning of June 5th, there were a few maps on boards behind the group, but the room, much like Eisenhower, was understated. The sturdy, wooden, conference room tables were covered in blue fabric. The chairs positioned around the table were simple wooden or metal office chairs. Even at this early hour, the air would soon be thick with cigarette smoke. In nearly every photo of the room, there are ashtrays within reach of everyone. There was a blue rug on the wooden floor, where Eisenhower was known to pace back and forth as he mulled over decisions. The bookshelves were empty, and the walls were covered in oak wood paneling. Along the outer wall were floor-to-ceiling French doors, which opened onto the home’s front portico.10

  When General Eisenhower had been named Supreme Commander of Allied Forces, he stressed the importance of morale. He outlawed negativity and used his formidable skills as a mediator to keep the Allied leadership focused on their objectives. Throughout this time, he had personally set the pace for his fellow leaders. His unflappable and direct approach to problem solving had been a source of inspiration. The stress of the job, however, was taking its toll. He was smoking four packs of Camels and was drinking 15 or more cups of coffee per day. His blood pressure was high, and he was dealing with insomnia.

  D-Day had been initially scheduled for June 5, but due to the forecast of poor weather, which proved to be accurate, the original date had been scrubbed. In consideration of the distances the ships crossing the English Channel would have to travel, the decision to go on the morning of June 6 would now need to be made that morning. After hearing the weather forecasts, Eisenhower went around the room getting the thoughts of each person. Everyone said they wanted to go, but the decision remained his to make. He processed the options once more and said, “Ok. Let’s go.”

  WITH THE SOLDIERS

  It says a great deal about Eisenhower that when he made the decision that D-Day was a go, he spent the final hours before the invasion with the men that he knew would pay the ultimate price for his decision. He wanted to be among the troops, to see their faces and gauge their readiness. The paratroopers in the photo are elite soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division, and each had volunteered to serve in this important role. When the group encountered General Eisenhower, they had been confined to the tented assembly area for nearly 5 days due to security concerns. At the moment captured on film, they are about to go to their assigned planes in preparation for takeoff at dusk. Their faces have been darkened with a concoction of burned cork, cocoa, and cooking oil to help them blend into the darkness of the night.11

  Following the war, author Val Lauder was on a speaking tour about World War II. As part of her presentation, she discussed the stress placed on General Eisenhower due to the gravity of the decision to be made about D-Day. Following one of the presentations, a woman approached and said that she had been a Red Cross worker in England during the war. She said that she was at the airfield on the night before D-Day, passing out coffee and doughnuts to the paratroopers. When General Eisenhower arrived, she gave him a cup of coffee, and he took it. It was only after placing the coffee in his hand that she noticed “his hand was shaking so badly the coffee threatened to spill over.” To keep him from being burned, she “eased the cup out of his hand.”12

  In an article written by Wally Strobel about that day for the Eisenhower Birthplace State Historical Site, he shared the following about his brief encounter with General Eisenhower:

  We were waiting for orders to leave for the planes when the word was passed, “Eisenhower is in the area.” At that point in time this did not cause a great deal of excitement because all of us had seen him before when he had visited the division and, besides, we were all pretty well preoccupied with our thoughts of our equipment and the operation ahead.

  A short time later, we heard some noise, and we all went into the streets between the tents to see what was going on. Down the street came the General, surrounded by his staff and a large number of photographers, both still and movie. As he came toward our group, we straightened up, and suddenly he came directly toward me and stopped in front of me. He asked my name and which state I was from. I gave him my name and that I was from Michigan. He then said, “Oh yes, Michigan, great fishing there. Been there several times and like it.” He then asked if I felt we were ready for the operation, did I feel we had been well briefed and were we all ready for the drop. I replied we were all set and didn’t think we would have too much of a problem. He seemed in good spirits. He chatted a little more, which I believe was intended to relax us, and I think that all of us being keyed up and ready to go buoyed him somewhat.

  You m
ust remember that the men of the 101st and the 502nd Parachute Infantry especially were exceptionally well trained. We all felt we had outstanding senior and field grade officers. We had the best arms and equipment available, and we had been very well briefed for the operation. We were at a peak physically and emotionally. We were ready to go and to do our job.

  While I think the General thought his visit would boost the morale of our men, I honestly believe it was his morale that was improved by being such a remarkably ‘high’ group of troops. The General’s later writings confirmed this.13

  REMIND THEM OF HOME

  Mary continued on the tour, but I was not ready to move on from the display. I found every part of the story compelling. I wanted to know more about Lieutenant Strobel and his experience in the war. I was amazed by General Eisenhower’s presence of mind and love for the soldiers under his command. Specifically, I was struck by where he chose to focus in times of uncertainty.

  He knew that everything had been done that could be done to prepare the troops for what was to come. The paratroopers knew what to do and had been trained well. He also knew they, and he, needed to be reminded why it mattered and who would be impacted by their courage. Instead of focusing on the enemy or the inherent danger, he transported Lieutenant Strobel from England to a fishing spot in Michigan. He took him home. For a moment, the two were just a couple of men talking about the joy of fishing.14

  Commenting years later on the famous June 5th photo of his father with the 101st, John Eisenhower said, “He was always trying to talk to troops about things back home, things that were familiar to them. If he found out that someone was from Kansas, he’d talk about cattle and farming, so it’s natural that with Wally he discussed fishing.”15