General Lucius D. Clay (April 23, 1897 - April 16, 1978) was an American general. He is considered the "father" of the Berlin Airlift (1948-49).

In 1947, Clay asked Lewis H. Brown to research and write "A Report on Germany," which served as a detailed recommendation for the reconstruction of post-war Germany, and served as a basis for the Marshall Plan.

Clay was from Marietta, Georgia (near Atlanta), which named one of its major streets "Clay Street" in honor of his work in creating what is now Dobbins Air Force Base there. While now called South Marietta Parkway (Georgia State Highway 120 Loop), it still carries memorial signs at each end dedicating the highway to him.

In 1954, he was called upon by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, to help forge a plan for financing the proposed Interstate highway system. He had previous experience in 1933 with managing and organizing projects under the New Deal, and later became one of Eisenhower's closest advisors.

Clay was also the son of Senator Alexander Stephens Clay of Marietta, who served in the U.S. Senate from 1897 to 1910.

External link

• "The Man Who Changed America" (http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/03mar/05.htm)