Clay, Lucius Dubignon (1897-1978), served as commander in chief of the United States armed forces in Europe and as military governor of the U.S. zone in Germany from 1947 to 1949. In 1948, the Soviet Union blockaded all supply routes to the Western section of Berlin, hoping to drive out of Berlin the forces of the United States, Britain, and France. But the Berlin Airlift, directed by Clay, flew food and other supplies into the city.
Clay was born on April 23, 1897, in Marietta, Georgia, and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1918. He served as an Army engineer. During World War II, Clay directed the delivery of supplies to invasion fronts. He retired from the Army in 1949, and became associated with several civilian firms. Clay served as an adviser to the Office of Defense Mobilization in 1951. In 1961 and 1962, he served as the personal representative of President John F. Kennedy in Germany. From 1968 to 1974, Clay was chairman of Radio Free Europe. He wrote a book, Decision in Germany (1950), based on his experiences in military government. He died on April 16, 1978.
