Material Information
- Title:
- James Alward Van Fleet collection
- Physical Description:
- Mixed Material
- Language:
- English
- Publisher:
- George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida
- Place of Publication:
- Gainesville, FL
- Publication Date:
- 1958
Subjects
- Genre:
- Spatial Coverage:
Notes
- Abstract:
- New release from November, 1958 on JAMES ALWARD VAN FLEET, General, U. S. Army, Retired.
Text of news release: General James Alward Van Fleet was Commander of the U. S. Eighth Army and attached Korean Army and United Nations Forces in Korea from 14 April 1951 to 12 February 1953. He retired 31 March 1953, with rank of full General.
Born in Coytesville, New Jersey, 19 March 1892, General Van Fleet grew up in Florida. He graduated from Summerlin Institute in Bartow, Florida in 1911 and from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in 1915. Classmates
include fellow Infantry officers Dwight D. Elsenhower and Cmar N. Bradley.
While serving as Commander of a machine gun battalion he saw action in World
War I, being wounded near Sedan a week before the Armistice.
With rank of Colonel, in June 1944, his Eighth Infantry regiment spearheaded the 4th Division in the assault landing at Utah Beach in the Normandy Invasion.
Within three months he was a Major General in command of a division and in
another three months he was a Corps Commander.
When the security of Greece was endangered by Communist guerillas, Van Fleet,
now a Lieutenant General, in February 1948, was sent to Greece. Under his
direction the guerillas were eliminated and Greece was saved.
He was back in the United States in command of the Second Army for only a few
months before he was off to the Korean battlefront to command the U. S. Eighth
Army. He was promoted to four star rank in July, 1951.
His battle awards include three Distinguished Service Crosses, four Distinguished
Service Medals, three Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars, two Air Medals, three
Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Unit Citation, and the Combat Infantryman's
Badge his most prized possession. He has been decorated by the following
foreign countries: Greece, Korea, Iran, Ethiopia, Thailand, The Philippines,
Republic of China, England, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Colombia.
The University of Florida, The Seoul National University of Korea, Long Island
University, and Columbia University have honored General Van Fleet with the
degree of Doctor of Laws.
In May, 1954 General Van Fleet undertook a survey of our Military Assistance
Programs in the Far East, traveling in a civilian status with the rank of
Ambassador, as special representative of President Eisenhower.
General Van Fleet has travelled extensively in the Middle East, Far East,
Africa, and South America. He is the author of the following articles
based upon these experiences and his active service in Greece and Korea.
"Who Says Our Allies Won't Fight?" (This Week Magazine)
"The Truth About Korea" (LIFE and Reader's Digest)
"The General Bags His Bear" (LIFE)
"Twenty-five Divisions for the Cost
of One" (Reader's Digest)
"Catastrophe in Asia" (U.S. News and World Report)
"General Van Fleet Reports on the
Off Shore (China) Islands" (LIFE)
"Russia's Southern Penetration" (The Institute of Paper Chemistry)
"Rail Transport and the Winning
of Wars" (Association of American Railroads)
"Lest We Forget--Korea" (Reader's Digest)
Currently he is rendering consulting and advisory services to several leading
United States Industrial Concerns and to his many friends in Foreign lands.
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- University of Florida
- Holding Location:
- Special and Area Studies Collections
- Rights Management:
- All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
- System ID:
- UF00096226:00001
|
Material Information
- Title:
- James Alward Van Fleet collection
- Physical Description:
- Mixed Material
- Language:
- English
- Publisher:
- George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida
- Place of Publication:
- Gainesville, FL
- Publication Date:
- 1958
Subjects
- Genre:
- Spatial Coverage:
Notes
- Abstract:
- New release from November, 1958 on JAMES ALWARD VAN FLEET, General, U. S. Army, Retired.
Text of news release: General James Alward Van Fleet was Commander of the U. S. Eighth Army and attached Korean Army and United Nations Forces in Korea from 14 April 1951 to 12 February 1953. He retired 31 March 1953, with rank of full General.
Born in Coytesville, New Jersey, 19 March 1892, General Van Fleet grew up in Florida. He graduated from Summerlin Institute in Bartow, Florida in 1911 and from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in 1915. Classmates
include fellow Infantry officers Dwight D. Elsenhower and Cmar N. Bradley.
While serving as Commander of a machine gun battalion he saw action in World
War I, being wounded near Sedan a week before the Armistice.
With rank of Colonel, in June 1944, his Eighth Infantry regiment spearheaded the 4th Division in the assault landing at Utah Beach in the Normandy Invasion.
Within three months he was a Major General in command of a division and in
another three months he was a Corps Commander.
When the security of Greece was endangered by Communist guerillas, Van Fleet,
now a Lieutenant General, in February 1948, was sent to Greece. Under his
direction the guerillas were eliminated and Greece was saved.
He was back in the United States in command of the Second Army for only a few
months before he was off to the Korean battlefront to command the U. S. Eighth
Army. He was promoted to four star rank in July, 1951.
His battle awards include three Distinguished Service Crosses, four Distinguished
Service Medals, three Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars, two Air Medals, three
Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Unit Citation, and the Combat Infantryman's
Badge his most prized possession. He has been decorated by the following
foreign countries: Greece, Korea, Iran, Ethiopia, Thailand, The Philippines,
Republic of China, England, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Colombia.
The University of Florida, The Seoul National University of Korea, Long Island
University, and Columbia University have honored General Van Fleet with the
degree of Doctor of Laws.
In May, 1954 General Van Fleet undertook a survey of our Military Assistance
Programs in the Far East, traveling in a civilian status with the rank of
Ambassador, as special representative of President Eisenhower.
General Van Fleet has travelled extensively in the Middle East, Far East,
Africa, and South America. He is the author of the following articles
based upon these experiences and his active service in Greece and Korea.
"Who Says Our Allies Won't Fight?" (This Week Magazine)
"The Truth About Korea" (LIFE and Reader's Digest)
"The General Bags His Bear" (LIFE)
"Twenty-five Divisions for the Cost
of One" (Reader's Digest)
"Catastrophe in Asia" (U.S. News and World Report)
"General Van Fleet Reports on the
Off Shore (China) Islands" (LIFE)
"Russia's Southern Penetration" (The Institute of Paper Chemistry)
"Rail Transport and the Winning
of Wars" (Association of American Railroads)
"Lest We Forget--Korea" (Reader's Digest)
Currently he is rendering consulting and advisory services to several leading
United States Industrial Concerns and to his many friends in Foreign lands.
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- University of Florida
- Holding Location:
- Special and Area Studies Collections
- Rights Management:
- All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
- System ID:
- UF00096226:00001
|
|
November, 1958
JAMES ALWARD VAN FLEET
General, U. S. Army, Retired
General James Alward Van Fleet was Commander of the U. S. Eighth Army and
attached Korean Army and United Nations Forces in Korea from 14 April 1951
to 12 February 1953. He retired 31 March 1953, with rank of full General.
Born in Coytesville, New Jersey, 19 March 1892, General Van Fleet grew up
in Florida. He graduated from Summerlin Institute in Bartow, Florida in
1911 and from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in 1915. Classmates
include fellow Infantry officers Dwight D. Elsenhower and Cmar N. Bradley.
While serving as Commander of a machine gun battalion he saw action in World
War I, being wounded near Sedan a week before the Armistice.
With rank of Colonel, in June 1944, his Eighth Infantry regiment spearheaded
the 4th Division in the assault landing at Utah Beach in the Normandy Invasion.
Within three months he was a Major General in command of a division and in
another three months he was a Corps Commander.
When the security of Greece was endangered by Communist guerillas, Van Fleet,
now a Lieutenant General, in February 1948, was sent to Greece. Under his
direction the guerillas were eliminated and Greece was saved.
He was back in the United States in command of the Second Army for only a few
months before he was off to the Korean battlefront to command the U. S. Eighth
Army. He was promoted to four star rank in July, 1951.
His battle awards include three Distinguished Service Crosses, four Distinguished
Service Medals, three Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars, two Air Medals, three
Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Unit Citation, and the Combat Infantryman's
Badge his most prized possession. He has been decorated by the following
foreign countries: Greece, Korea, Iran, Ethiopia, Thailand, The Philippines,
Republic of China, England, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Colombia.
The University of Florida, The Seoul National University of Korea, Long Island
University, and Columbia University have honored General Van Fleet with the
degree of Doctor of Laws.
In May, 1954 General Van Fleet undertook a survey of our Military Assistance
Programs in the Far East, traveling in a civilian status with the rank of
Ambassador, as special representative of President Eisenhower.
General Van Fleet has travelled extensively in the Middle East, Far East,
Africa, and South America. He is the author of the following articles
based upon these experiences and his active service in Greece and Korea.
"Who Says Our Allies Won't Fight?" (This Week Magazine)
"The Truth About Korea" (LIFE and Reader's Digest)
"The General Bags His Bear" (LIFE)
"Twenty-five Divisions for the Cost
of One" (Reader's Digest)
"Catastrophe in Asia" (U.S. News and World Report)
"General Van Fleet Reports on the
Off Shore (China) Islands" (LIFE)
"Russia's Southern Penetration" (The Institute of Paper Chemistry)
"Rail Transport and the Winning
of Wars" (Association of American Railroads)
"Lest We Forget--Korea" (Reader's Digest)
Currently he is rendering consulting and advisory services to several leading
United States Industrial Concerns and to his many friends in Foreign lands.
FAMILY: Wife, Helen Moore Van Fleet
Daughter, Helen Elizabeth, wife of Colonel Edward T. McConnell, U.S. Army
Daughter, Dempsey Catherine, wife of Colonel Joseph A. McChristian,U.S.Army
Son, James A. Jr., Captain USAF, missing in action in North Korea since
4 April 1952.
HOME ADDRESS: Jupiter Island, Hobe Sound, Florida.
BUSINESS ADDRESS: Lake Van, Auburndale, Florida.
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