Lucius Dubignon Clay
Clay, Lucius DuBignon (1897–1978), a United States army officer. He was commander of United States forces in Europe after World War II and military governor of the American zone of Germany. While holding those posts, he directed the Berlin Airlift (1948–49), which prevented Russia from forcing the Allies out of Berlin. Noted for his administrative abilities, he rose to the rank of four-star general without ever holding a combat command.
Clay was born in Marietta, Georgia. He graduated from West Point in 1918 and became an officer in the Corps of Engineers. During World War II, he was director of material of the Army Service Forces, responsible for supplying Allied forces in Europe. Clay retired from the Army in 1949. He became a business executive and served as an adviser on Berlin for the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations.