James Van Fleet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| James Alward Van Fleet | |
|---|---|
| March 19, 1892 - September 23, 1992 | |
| Place of birth | Coytesville, New Jersey |
| Place of death | Polk City, Florida |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Years of service | 1915 to 1953 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | 3rd Infantry Regiment U.S. 6th Division 5th Infantry Regiment |
| Commands | Company "?", 3rd Infantry Regiment 17th Machine Gun Battalion 42nd Infantry 29th Infantry regiment 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division 4th Infantry Division 90th Infantry Division XXIII Corps III Corps U.S. Second Army U.S. Eighth Army |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross with two Oak leaf cluster Distinguished Service Medal with three Oak leaf clusters Silver Star with two Oak leaf clusters Bronze Star with two Oak leaf clusters Purple Heart with two Oak leaf clusters World War I Victory Medal American Defense Service Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal Combat Infantryman Badge United Nations Service Medal |
| Other work | diplomat businessman author rancher |
James Alward Van Fleet (March 19, 1892 - September 23, 1992) was a U.S. Army general during World War II and the Korean War.
Van Fleet was born in Coytesville, New Jersey and was a 1915 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He was a classmate of both Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley. Upon graduation, he became an infantry officer.
He served as a battalion commander in World War I, as part of the American Expeditionary Force under General John J. Pershing.
He coached the University of Florida football team in 1923 and 1924, leading them to a 12-3-4 record. He is also the namesake of Van Fleet Hall on the University of Florida campus, home of all four ROTC programs.
During World War II, Van Fleet served first as a regimental commander. Although widely regarded as an outstanding officer, he was blocked from promotion because the Army Chief of Staff, General George Marshall, erroneously believed Van Fleet to be an alcoholic. When Marshall learned of his mistake, Van Fleet was soon promoted to divisional and corps command. He saw action during the D-Day landings on Utah Beach in June 1944 as commander of the 8th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division, and later with General George S. Patton's U.S. Third Army.
In 1946, Van Fleet was sent to Greece, where he was instrumental in defeating the communist insurgency.
Van Fleet was Commanding General, U.S. Second Army from 10 AUG 1950 to 11 APR 1951.
In 1951, he replaced General Matthew B. Ridgway as commander of the U.S. Eighth Army and United Nations forces in Korea. He continued Ridgway's efforts to strengthen the Eighth Army in its campaign against numerically superior communist foes. He lost his only son, who was an Air Force officer, in the Korean War.
In 1957, General Van Fleet was the moving spirit behind the establishment in New York of The Korea Society, the first nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to the promotion of friendly relations between the people of the United States and Korea "through mutual understanding and appreciation of their respective cultures, aims, ideals, arts, sciences and industries."
Van Fleet died in 1992 in Polk City, Florida several months after reaching his 100th birthday. Until his death, he was the oldest living flag officer in the United States. Van Fleet was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Shortly after his death, The Korea Society established its annual James A. Van Fleet Award to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to closer U.S.-Korea ties.
Contents |
[edit] Awards and decorations
- Distinguished Service Cross with two Oak leaf clusters
- Distinguished Service Medal with three Oak leaf clusters
- Silver Star with two Oak leaf clusters
- Bronze Star with two Oak leaf clusters
- Purple Heart with two Oak leaf clusters
- World War I Victory Medal
- American Defense Service Medal
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Korean Service Medal
- Combat Infantryman Badge
- United Nations Service Medal
[edit] External links
- James Alward Van Fleet
- One of the "Top 50 Most Important Floridians of the 20th Century," as voted by The Ledger
- The Korea Society
[edit] References
- Obituary, Los Angeles Times, September 24, 1992, p. A28
- Obituary, New York Times, September 24, 1992, p. D24
[edit] See also
- Report of Van Fleet mission to the Far East, 1954
- List of Korean War veterans who are recipients of the Bronze Starja:ジェームズ・ヴァン・フリート
Categories: 1892 births | 1992 deaths | United States Army generals | American World War II veterans | Korean War veterans | Korean War people | West Point graduates | People from Florida | American centenarians | Recipients of the Bronze Star medal | Recipients of US Distinguished Service Cross | Recipients of the Purple Heart medal | Recipients of the Combat Infantryman Badge | Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
