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GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION                                   EXHIBIT 24
COMMISSION FILE NUMBER   1-3671                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
                      ------------                             REPORTS ON FORM
IRS NO.  13-1673581                                            10-K AND 10-Q
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                                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, DAVID A. SAVNER, 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 9th day of February 1999.

/s/  Julius W. Becton, Jr.                           /s/ George A. Joulwan
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Julius W. Becton, Jr.                                George A. Joulwan

/s/  Nicholas D. Chabraja                            /s/ Paul G. Kaminski
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Nicholas D. Chabraja                                 Paul G. Kaminski

/s/  James S. Crown                                  /s/ James R. Mellor
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James S. Crown                                       James R. Mellor

/s/  Lester Crown                                    /s/  Carl E. Mundy, Jr.
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Lester Crown                                         Carl E. Mundy, Jr.

/s/ Charles H. Goodman                               /s/  Carlisle A.H. Trost
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Charles H. Goodman                                   Carlisle A.H. Trost