On July 5, 1952, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, then Supreme Commander of NATO forces, came to Chicago to present Sergeant Leonard A. Funk with a Medal of Honor at a luncheon. In the photo, General Eisenhower salutes Sergeant Funk, a member of the 83rd Airborne Division. A Medal of Honor winner and the President of the United States are the only persons who rate a salute from a five-star general.
The primary microphone used in the ceremony was the Unidyne. That same year, the Republican Party persuaded General Eisenhower to run for President. He was a popular choice. He had served as commander of the Allied Forces landing in North Africa in November 1942, as Allied leader on D-Day 1944, and as Supreme Commander of the troops invading France. His prestige and the irresistible campaign slogan—“I Like Ike”—led to a sweeping victory. In 1956, he was elected for a second term.
