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Book Review: ‘Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant’

In an endearing, poignant, four-paragraph foreword to her hus¬band’s autobiography, Louise Thor¬ton Becton concludes simply, “I be¬lieve he is a natural born leader.”

Like courage and integrity, true leadership is indefinable, its roots inexplicable. A random gift of na¬ture? Hardly. Inherited? Maybe. More likely, it is a quality ema¬nating from psychological health, nurtured early on by kind, loving parents conscious of fostering an intrinsic value system. Later, when coupled with years of solid soldiering, the impulse to plan and guide flows naturally.

Whatever leadership is, Julius W. Becton Jr. has it, and in abundance, as is so amply demonstrated in the lieutenant general’s 350-page memoir chronicling his expe¬riences and achieve¬ments as a combat commander, govern¬ment leader and public administra¬tor. Framed in the affection of his inti¬mates while quietly reflecting his own strong gifts — zeal for America and the Army, an innocent pictorial eye, as well as a shy, benign nature — the autobiography becomes a luminous testament of dedication and devotion.

“Becton” begins by describing what it was like growing up in Bryn Mawr, a Philadelphia suburb, during the late 1920s and 1930s. Born in 1926 to Julius W. Bec¬ton Sr., a janitor, and Rose Inez Becton, a do¬mestic worker, he was “blessed” in receiving all the strength he would need to face the rigors of being a future chief during the age of Jim Crow. His love of football and track as a teenager are highlighted, as is the way he met the love of his life, Louise Thorton, nearly 63 years ago, and what it was like to enter a segregated Army Air Corps Enlisted Reserves in the summer of 1943 at the age of 17 and the Army the next year.

What follows are Becton’s four decades of service, including what led up to being commis¬sioned a second lieutenant and fighting with distinction in Korea. In 1951, he was integrat¬ed into the Regular Army. Later, he held combat commands in the 101st Airborne Division in Viet¬nam, commanding the legendary 1st Cavalry Division in 1975 and 1976. Two years later, Becton was promoted to lieutenant gen¬eral and commander of VII Corps in Germany and deputy com¬mander of Training and Doctrine Command and the Army Inspec¬tor of Training before retiring in 1983.

Equally interesting is what he did after retiring. In 1984, Becton turned his attention to internation¬al disaster assistance, emergency management and public education.

Perhaps Becton’s toughest chal¬lenge during his career was serv¬ing as the superintendent and chief executive officer of the public school system in the District of Columbia between 1996 and 2000.

In the final analysis, “Becton” is a wise and winning life story, por¬traying a good man, a good sol¬dier and a good civil servant.