Maj. Gen. Van Fleet visits EUCOM signal school, 1948
Published: April 9, 2012
Gerald Waller ©Stars and Stripes
Ansbach, Germany, January 9, 1948: Staff Sgt. John Sternka, teletype operator at the EUCOM signal school, explains his approach to, left to right, Maj. Gen. James A. Van Fleet, the new EUCOM director of operations, plans, organization and training; Brig. Gen. J.V. Matejka, chief EUCOM signal officer; and Lt. Col. Reuben Abramowitz, school commandant. In 1951, Van Fleet replaced Gen. Matthew Ridgway as commander of the U.S. Eighth Army and U.N. forces in Korea. Before his death in 1992 at age 100, he was the oldest living U.S. flag officer.