dwight david "ike" eisenhower was the 34th president of the united states from 1953 until 1961. he moved to abilene when he was 2 years old. prior to that he was a five-star general in the united states army. he was supreme commander of the allied forces in europe world war ii. he planned the invasion of north africa in operation torch in 1942–43 and the invasion of france and germany in 1944–45. the eisenhower library is in abilene.