American Valor Quarterly Issue 5 - Winter 2008/09 | Page 25

Call to Service
The Korean War Story of Lt. General Julius W. Becton, Jr.
Julius W. Becton, Jr. began his long career as an officer in the
United States Army on August 16, 1945 – two days following
the announced surrender of Japan, ending World War II. His
long career would lead from his beginnings as a 2nd lieutenant all
the way to the rank of lieutenant general, and the command of
thousands of soldiers in VII Corps, stationed in Germany.
Following retirement in 1983, Lt. General Becton served as Director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in the United
States Agency for International Development (US AID) and Director of FEMA from 1985 to 1989.