Julius Wesley Becton Jr. (born June 29, 1926) is a retired United States Army lieutenant general, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and education administrator. He served as Commanding General, VII Corps in 1978 and as Deputy Commanding General for Training of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in 1981. He retired in 1983.

Early life and education

Becton was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, on June 29, 1926. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in July 1944, graduated infantry Officer Candidate School in 1945, and served with 93rd Infantry Division. He separated from the Army in 1946, but returned to service after President

Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953. A leader of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 34th vice president from January to April 1945 under Franklin ...

's executive order to integrate the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948.

Career

Becton went on to serve in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant general in 1978 and command of

VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to: * VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars * VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I * VII R ...

in Europe during the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

. Among his decorations were the

Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) is a high award of a nation. Examples include: *Distinguished Service Medal (Australia) (established 1991), awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force for distinguished leadership in action * Distinguishe ...

, two

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

s, two

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

medals, and two Purple Hearts, along with the Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany. While in the service, Becton graduated from

Prairie View Agricultural and Mechanical University Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU or PV) is a public historically black land-grant university in Prairie View, Texas. Founded in 1876, it is one of Texas's two land-grant universities and the second oldest public institution of higher learni ...

(Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics in 1960), the University of Maryland (Master's Degree in Economics in 1966). He also graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the

National War College The National War College (NWC) of the United States is a school in the National Defense University. It is housed in Roosevelt Hall on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., the third-oldest Army post still active. History The National War Colle ...

. Becton retired from the U.S. Army in 1983, after nearly 40 years of service. However, his public service career was far from over. From 1984 to 1985, he served as the Director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in the United States Agency for International Development (US AID). He then served as the Director of FEMA from 1985 to 1989 under President

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

. In his mid-60s, Becton began a new career as an education administrator. From 1989 to 1994, Becton was the fifth president of Prairie View A&M University (his alma mater). President Becton was the first graduate of Prairie View A&M University to attain flag rank in the military. In 1996, he became the Superintendent of the Washington, D.C. public school system. Becton now serves as a director to several corporations, academic institutions, and associations. His many honors include being named several times by Ebony magazine as "One of the 100 Most Influential Blacks in America," and he has also received the Distinguished Service Award Association of the U.S. Army and the Boy Scouts of America's

Silver Beaver Award The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Upon nomination by their local Scout council and with the approval of the National Court of Honor, recipients of this award are registered adu ...

. His autobiography, ''Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant'', was published in 2008 by Naval Institute Press.

Personal life

Becton resides at The Fairfax in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Becton and his late wife, Louise, have five grown children, 10 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Decorations

References

*
Interview
at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Becton, Julius W. Jr. 1926 births African-American United States Army personnel United States Army personnel of World War II United States Army personnel of the Korean War United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Federal Emergency Management Agency officials Knights Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Living people Prairie View A&M University alumni Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army) Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Silver Star United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army generals University of Maryland, College Park alumni People from Fort Belvoir, Virginia People from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Military personnel from Pennsylvania Superintendents of District of Columbia Public Schools United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II 21st-century African-American people African Americans in World War II African Americans in the Korean War African Americans in the Vietnam War