Carl John Fleps

McLEAN, VA. – Carl J. Fleps, a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Marine Corps, died of complications from Parkinson’s disease at Virginia Hospital Center on Feb. 28.
General Fleps was born Nov. 14, 1914 in Youngstown.
He attended elementary and high schools in Youngstown, graduating in June of 1932. In September of that year, he enlisted in the Navy. He was ordered to the battleship U.S.S. West Virginia and while serving there, was selected to stand for examinations preparatory for admission to the U.S. Naval Academy. Fleps was admitted to the Academy and entered in July of 1934, after completing his enlisted service with the fleet.
He participated on the boxing and football teams, and graduated in the class of 1938, requesting his commission in the Marine Corps.
When the Japanese attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, Fleps was on board the U.S.S. President Coolidge, en route from the Philippines to flight training in the States, via Pearl Harbor. Upon arriving at Pearl Harbor, he deeply mourned the sinking of his beloved West Virginia. He went on to serve in the Pacific Theatre, eventually as a transport squadron commanding officer in the critical Solomon Islands campaign.
During that time, one of his subordinates, with whom he remained in contact after the war, was Lieutenant Richard M. Nixon, U.S.N.R. In the last days of the war, Fleps was stationed on Okinawa as part of a contingent slated to be among the first to land in the anticipated invasion of the Japanese home islands.
During the Korean War, Fleps commanded a Marine transport squadron based in Japan, flying missions supporting Marine Corps operations on the peninsula. In 1953, he led the first transpacific flight of Fairchild “Flying Boxcars,” departing San Francisco for Atami, Japan.
Fleps was a graduate of the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School and the Air War College, where he also served on the faculty. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1956 at the rank of brigadier general, awarded in recognition of his meritorious wartime service.
Fleps then launched a business career, which included a vice presidency with the Greyhound Corporation, later the Dial Corporation.
During the 1960 presidential campaign, Fleps led “Maryland Volunteers for Nixon-Lodge,” even participating in a televised debate against a Kennedy campaign representative.
Fleps retired from Dial in 1979, and then served a year with the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.
General Fleps’ military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, Letter of Commendation Medal, and the Navy Unit Citation Medal.
General Fleps was a member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Marine Corps Aviation Association, the Retired Officers Association, and the Army-Navy Country Club.
He was greatly loved, and is survived by his wife of 58 years, Josephyne Waples Fleps of McLean; daughter, Christina Fleps Hardwick and son-in-law, Charley D. Hardwick of Washington, D.C.; son, John J. and daughter-in-law, Nelsy M. of Southlake, Texas; son, Peter C. and daughter-in-law, Julie J. of Evanston, Ill.; and seven grandchildren, John R., Caroline L., Peter J., Eric C., Thomas M., Jordan T. and Edward G.
General Fleps will undergo a Christian burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
Donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.