Van Fleet’s work in Greece and Korea demonstrate 

the benefit of training, educating and advising U.S. 

allies and partner militaries.

Van Fleet was a pioneer in International Military Training 

and Education due to his work in Greece and in Korea.

BIOGRAPHY

In 1947 after World War II ended, Van Fleet was assigned

to the U.S. Mission for Aid to Greece, U.S. Army Group as the 

Commander of the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group. In that 

position, he provided operational advice and military advisers 

to the Hellenic military in their battle with Communist 

insurgents, which they eventually won.

In 1951, Van Fleet was sent to Korea to command the Eighth 

U.S. Army and United Nation Forces. He is credited with 

establishing infantry, artillery and small-unit officer's courses, 

and retraining the forces in Korea. He also established the 

Korean military academy and sent Korean officers to military 

courses in the United States. These actions yielded two results: 

not only did the United States improve interoperability with 

Korean forces, Van Fleet also became known as the "Father of 

South Korea’s Army.

September 1st, 2021 marks 50 years since the 

establishment of DSCA. 

In celebration of this milestone, DSCA is highlighting 

notable “Security Cooperators” who have served the 

Security Cooperation community over the past 50 years. 

These individuals, uniformed and civilian, all exemplify 

professionalism and public service, and embody DSCA’s 

ethos of “security through global partnerships.” 

“Faces of Security Cooperation” aims to provide a quick 

glance at the lives and legacies of those who have made 

impactful change in the history of Security Cooperation. 

From our past into our future, we honor those whose 

contributions have shaped DSCA into the agency

we know today.

James Alward Van Fleet was born in Coytesville, 

New Jersey on March 19, 1892.

Van Fleet attended West Point in 1915, with Dwight 

Eisenhower, with whom he would also serve during World War 

II. He led troops during the Mexican Revolution against 

Francisco "Pancho" Villa and when the United States entered 

World War I, he went to France with the Sixth Division and 

assumed command of the 17th Machine Gun Battalion.

When World War II began, Van Fleet was commander of the 

8th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division, a unit he 

would lead into battle on D-Day. He returned to Europe in 

1947 where he was assigned to the U.S. Army Group, a part of 

the U.S. Mission for Aid to Greece, as Commander of the Joint 

U.S. Military Advisory Group. Van Fleet was later made 

Commander of the Eighth U.S. Army and United Nations 

Forces in Korea in 1951.

Van Fleet retired from the U.S. Army in 1953. President Harry 

S. Truman summarized his accomplishments by saying, "Gen. 

Van Fleet is the greatest general we have ever had. I sent him 

to Greece and he won the war and I send him to Korea and he 

won the war."

Van Fleet died outside of Polk City, FL on September 23, 1992, 

six months after his 100th birthday.

EDUCATING AND TRAINING

FOREIGN MILITARIES

ABOUT “FACES OF SECURITY

COOPERATION”

Faces of Security Cooperation

GENERAL

JAMES A.VAN FLEET