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Orchid-Bedecked. Last week as Charlie Wilson said his goodbyes, Washington realized something else: it was saying goodbye to a distinguished Defense Secretary. President Eisenhower wrote a warm "Dear Charlie" letter, took time out from the Little Rock crisis to show up briefly at a black-tie dinner given in Wilson's honor by Secretary Dulles. The three service Secretaries and Chiefs of the Air Force, Navy, Army and Marine Corps stood up beside Charlie at Fort Myer as jet bombers and fighters roared by in an honorary flyover. And—perhaps in the most meaningful salute of all—newsmen jammed his final press conference, rose and applauded when Charlie walked in with an orchid-bedecked" Jessie on his arm.
In his blunt talk about defense cuts Charlie made it clear that he knew that in his final months he had let military spending (see below) get away from him, made it equally clear that he would characteristically try to repair the damage right down to his last minute in the Pentagon. Inevitably, during the nostalgic levity, the immortal "good for General Motors" misquotation came up again, and once more Wilson explained what it was he really had said. Then, grinning broadly, he added: "I have never been too embarrassed over the thing, stated either way." The newsmen laughed—this time with Charlie, not at him.