General Stilwell, who says his household rank is "just after the dog," passes a few minutes with his giant Schnauzer, Gary, on the beach near his home.

Four-star General Joseph W. Stilwell, who fought a big part of the war against Japan for three years, now reads about it in the newspapers at home in Carmel, Calif. Relieved of his unusual command as chief of staff to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in October, Stilwell flew back to the U.S. early last month. He had his first press conference more than a week later, wisecracked genially with reporters and photographers and passed a number of informal remarks about the nature of Americans and Japs. ("The Japs put soldier caps on their kids when they are just knee-high. I think our way is a damn sight better - with better results.")
  The best guess as to the reason for Stilwell's recall was that Stilwell, under instruction from Washington, had asked Chiang 1) to put him in command of all China's armies (Chiang probably agreed) and 2) to work with Chinese Communists to speed up the war (Chiang probably refused). Stilwell said nothing at his press conference to confirm or deny this guess.

Kicking up heels, Stilwell and Gary exercise along California beach. Wiry, 61-year-old Stilwell outlasted many younger men in his retreat on foot from Burma in 1942.

Gamboling with Gary, Stilwell has removed uniform for sweater and pair of khaki pants. The shadows on beach in foreground are of a battery of news photographers.

Dog loses interest and strolls away from the general. Stilwell's home, Lanfair, built on the cypress-wooded Pacific shore at Carmel, is only two blocks from the beach.

Stilwell's three daughters are (left to right) Mrs. Winifred Stilwell Cox, Mrs. Nancy Easterbrook and Alison Stilwell. Alison Stilwell's paintings appeared in LIFE, Oct. 2.   (STILWELL ART)

With his wife, the former Winifred Alison, Stilwell strolls through well-kept yard of his home. Stilwell wears his four-star shoulder insignia, but none of his decorations.

LIFE'S COVER:  Last week the great, gleaming B-29s of the global 20th Air Force made their first raid on Tokyo and their first raid from Saipan. It was the second air attack of the war for Tokyo and the 16th for the B-29s. Both will see many more. On the cover, through the nose of a B-29, is the cloud-blanketed island of Formosa, which was raided by the superbombers on Oct. 14. At the top of the picture, approaching the target with both bomb bay's open is the lead plane in the formation.




Adapted from the December 4, 1944 issue of LIFE.
Portions copyright 1944 Time, Inc.



 STILWELL ART 

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