Tough Old Bird

While waging a successful war against the Communist guerrillas in Greece in 1948, General James Alward Van Fleet also found time to win the friendship of the Greek people. Last week, one year after he had taken over the Korean command from General Ridgway, it was evident that the Korean people have taken to Van Fleet's simple friendliness--and military bluntness--as eagerly as did the Greeks. On the anniversary, some 40,000 drizzle-soaked Koreans lined Seoul's shell-cratered streets, waving flags and shouting "Long live Van Fleet!" as the general passed by in an open jeep. Beaming, Van Fleet accepted a small Korean flag from a school child in the crowd, rode the remainder of the route waving the flag. At a reception, President Syngman Rhee presented Van Fleet with a poem he had written. Excerpts:

"When our peninsula was in distress, the general came 10,000 miles to help us . . . One person is riding above the white clouds, while 10.000 nations are in flames. His battlegrounds, where hundreds of battles have been fought and won, are Europe in the West and Asia in the East . . ."

Later, Van Fleet visited Greek soldiers celebrating their Easter on-the front, joined in the old Greek Easter custom of cracking eggs. Van Fleet's egg outlasted all others, which means good fortune.

The report that his son was missing in action (TIME, April 14) had hit Van Fleet hard. But at 60, the general shows only a few more grey hairs and wrinkles than he did a year ago. Said one staff officer: "The old boy is still a tough old bird."

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