Retired Gen. Richard Stilwell, 74; Served U.S. In Three Wars

WASHINGTON - Gen. Richard G. Stilwell, former commander in chief of U.S. forces in Korea, died yesterday, the Army said. He was 74.

Gen. Stilwell, who retired from the Army in 1976, died of cardiac arrest at Fairfax County Hospital in suburban Virginia.

Gen. Stilwell served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He also was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, where he later was commandant of cadets.

From 1949 to 1952, he served as chief of the Far East Division of the CIA and later took command of a regiment in Korea, where he remained until December 1953. Twenty years later, Gen. Stilwell was named commander in chief of the United Nations Command in South Korea as well as commander in chief of U.S. forces there and commander of the 8th Army.

He served in that post for three years, longer than any of his predecessors, the Army said in a statement announcing his death.

Gen. Stilwell served twice in Vietnam, the first tour in 1963, when he was appointed chief of staff to Gen. William Westmoreland, and the second in 1968, when he assumed command of troops in the northern provinces of South Vietnam.

His army career spanned 39 years by the time of his retirement. In 1981 he returned to the government to work four years as deputy undersecretary of defense. He was president of his own consulting firm based in Virginia.

Gen. Stilwell's decorations included the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, and Purple Heart, as well awards from foreign governments, including Vietnam, Greece, Italy, Belgium, France, Russia, Thailand and South Korea.

Funeral arrangements for Gen. Stilwell were incomplete, the Army said.