Turkey Advocate Pendleton Dies at 83

"We know that all of the ATC family will have Elmer and Anne in their thoughts and prayers," the ATC said. As a two-star general, Pendleton commanded the Joint United States Military Mission for Aid to Turkey, or JUSMMAT, in the 1980s. JUSMMAT was renamed the Office for Defense Cooperation Turkey, or ODC-T, in 1994. While he was JUSMMAT?s commander, Pendleton once said: "As a soldier one of the things that I like about Turkish soldiers is that they are trained to look you right in the eye. No looking down at their feet, no lack of confidence, but a feeling of pride in one's self, one's army and one's country." After retirement, Pendleton became a founding member of the ATC, and for many years worked as the ATC's senior military advisor. He was also a founding member of the American Friends of Turkey, another U.S.-Turkish group. The ATC, whose members include major U.S. and Turkish companies, works for the improvement of U.S.-Turkish ties. All key U.S. defense firms are members of the ATC while Richard Armitage, a former U.S. deputy secretary of state, is the ATC's chairman. ?Gen. Pendleton was a true and great friend of Turkey. We will miss him," said one Turkish diplomat. Source: Hurriyet Daily News (Photo credit: Westpoint.org\While Pendleton was in Korean War, fourth row, third one from left)