Dwight Eisenhower was born 136 years ago today, October 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas. He grew up in Abilene, Kansas, in a family so poor the boys took turns wearing hand-me-downs. His path to command was anything but certain. He graduated West Point in 1915 and spent World War I stateside training tank crews at Gettysburg, never getting overseas. For years afterward he worried that missing combat had ended his career. At the start of 1941 he was a lieutenant colonel. By December 1944 he wore five stars. In between, he was handed the largest amphibious invasion in history. D-Day was supposed to be June 5. Storms forced a delay. In the early hours of that morning, his chief meteorologist told him there might be a short break in the weather. If they waited longer, the tides and moonlight wouldn't line up again for weeks. Eisenhower gave the order to go. That evening he went to see the men of the 101st Airborne before they boarded their planes. His air commander had warned him the paratroopers could take catastrophic losses. He walked among them, talking with them about home, and stayed to watch the aircraft take off. At some point that day he also wrote a note, to be released if the invasion failed: "Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt it is mine alone." Look closely at the original and you'll see he first wrote that the troops "have been withdrawn." He crossed it out and changed it to "I have withdrawn the troops." He wouldn't even let the grammar take the blame for him. He was so exhausted he dated it July 5. He tucked it in his wallet and forgot about it. Weeks later he pulled it out and was about to throw it away. His aide, Harry Butcher, asked to keep it. That's the only reason it survives today, now held at the Eisenhower Library back in Abilene. The man who commanded the liberation of Western Europe had already written his own resignation from history, in case he needed it. And he made sure every word of failure pointed back at himself. Happy birthday, Ike.