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                                                                    EXHIBIT 24


GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION                              POWER OF ATTORNEY
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-3671                             REPORTS ON FORM
IRS NO. 13-1673581                                        10-K AND 10-Q




                              POWER OF ATTORNEY


        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned Directors
and/or officers of GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation, hereby
constitutes and appoints each of NICHOLAS D. CHABRAJA, MICHAEL J. MANCUSO, PAUL
A. HESSE, and his true and lawful attorney and agent, in the name and on behalf
of the under-signed, to do any and all acts and things and execute any and all
instruments which the attorney and agent may deem necessary or advisable to
enable General Dynamics Corporation to comply with the Securities Act of 1933,
and the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any rules and regulations and
requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (The Commission) in
respect thereof, in connection with annual reports to the commission on form
10-K, quarterly reports on form 10-Q, and other reports as required by General
Dynamics Corporation, including specifically, but without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, the power and authority to sign the names of the
undersigned in his capacity as Director and/or Officer of General Dynamics
Corporation to reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission with
respect thereto, to any and all amendments, including hereby ratifying and
confirming all that the attorneys and agents, or any of them, has done, shall
do or shall cause to be done by virtue hereof.


        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set their hands this
5 day of February, 1997.



/s/ Frank C. Carlucci                           /s/ Charles H. Goodman
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  Frank C. Carlucci                             Charles H. Goodman

/s/ Nicholas D. Chabraja                        /s/ James R. Mellor
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  Nicholas D. Chabraja                            James R. Mellor

/s/ James S. Crown                              /s/ Gordon R. Sullivan
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  James S. Crown                                  Gordon R. Sullivan

/s/ Lester Crown                                /s/ Carlisle A. H. Trost
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  Lester Crown                                    Carlisle A. H. Trost