MacArthur's MOH

deleted

 

I'm putting that one on my list. The author sounds like an interesting guy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Manchester

 

Find me a biography that wasn't.

 

What i meant was that prior to D-Day and the march to the German frontier, MacArthur was probably the best known and most respected senior Army commander to the American general public. Afterwards Ike's fame eclipsed it by a order of magnitude, so much so it led him to the White House.

 

I could understand wanting to have a morale-building public relations event for MacArthur in Australia, but it didn't have to be the MOH. The effect would have been the same if he had been given a Legion of Merit or whatever was considered appropriate.

Incidentally the website repeats the assertion that Mac and his father were the only father and son to receive the MOH. That may be true for the Army, but Admirals Frank and Frank Jack Fletcher also both received it, interestingly for the same action, at Veracruz in 1914, when Frank Jack was just a lieutenant. IIRC there was criticism that MOHs were being handed out too easily on that occasion also.

 

Close, but no cigar.

It holds true for the Navy too. Frank & Frank Jack were uncle & nephew. Frank Jack's father was Thomas Jack Fletcher

 

Nor did it prevent him from awarding unearned medals to others. LBJ's silver star comes to mind...

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/06/internationaleducationnews.humanities

 

I've visited the spot on Missionary Ridge where Arthur MacArthur won his many times, his was actually deserved. His son's was not.

 

what were the number of forces involved per battle and per campaign? ....at the start of BOB, the Germans greatly outnumbered the US forces in men and tanks, etc....?? also--at BOB the US was going against tanks, tank destroyers, assault guns, etc.....a lot more destructive -killing power than Mac went against...definitely not a good comparison because of
1. numbers per battle/campaign
2 my previous post about amphib/air warfare being much different. etc than the BOB
3 the destructive-killing power in the huge difference of armored vehicles BOB vs SWPOA

Buna Strength
US Japanese
20,000 11,000

 

Thanks, I stand corrected.

 

That was just one of his personal flaws which I concede. His interaction with equal's and subordinates generally suffered under his ego, much as happened with Montgomery. His personal style was at odds with the modern perception of what a American commander should be, but being a ass does not in itself make you a poor commander in the purely military tactic's sphere.

On the issue of politic's, lets be fair here if we can. Who gave him this political power in the main? Two successive Democratic President's, FDR and Truman.

MacArthur became military advisor to the Philippines with FDR's approval in part to remove a domestic political threat and to signal Japan politically that the US was serious about protecting her interest's. Don't put a man on a white horse unless being prepared for what that man can do on a white horse.

FDR did not need to recall MacArthur to service in 1941, he was well past retirement age, but did so because it was politically and militarily expedient. FDR knew the PI was a lost cause, yet set him up for martyrdom and all that could follow with it. He only enhanced that power by insisting that Mac evacuate and take a theater command. In other words according to FDR, MacArthur was simply too valuable to the War effort to be left to be captured or killed along with his men.

Truman compounds it by placing MacArthur as military governor of Japan, then as United Nation's commander in Korea. Again appointments that were both as much political as they were military. None of these were unavoidable considering Truman could and did remove him in the midst of a crisis.

To be blunt, MacArthur had many enablers, some living at 1600 Pennsylvania and others with stars on their shoulders.

 

Wait...Wuh!

MacArthur was 61 in 1941...Mandatory retirement age was 64. So, how is 61 "well past" 64?

 

Wainwright is the one who saved the forces in the Philippines after the invasion, Mac probably didn't any one getting credit besides him

 

I stand corrected about his age, but he had held the highest possible command he could by then. Conventionally when people reach the last possible command position or promotion it signals their retirement. Certainly exceptions have occurred, but his continued military service was not a given if FDR/Marshall had not given one. It would be interesting to make note of how many officers at or near retirement age were quietly sat aside. Marshall's famous little black book ended many career's, while greatly accelerated other's (Eisenhower being the most notable) in the build up to American entry to the war.

 

yes.....both are slaps in faces of the true heroes.......

 

Yes, he had held the highest command possible. What throws a monkey wrench into your conventional wisdom is that MacArthur was one of the youngest Army Chief of Staff - Mac was 51 years old. Looking at other young CoS, they continued to serve rather than retire...

For example, J. Franklin Bell, Chief of Staff from 1906-1910, continued to serve in the US Army until his death, in 1919, at age 62. Others, such as John L. Hines continued to serve after he was Chief of Staff(1924-1926) until he reached mandatory retirement age in 1932.

When MacArthur decided to retire in 1937, his continued military service was a given. As President, FDR had no real say in the matter, and Marshall was commanding Vancouver Barracks in Vancouver, Washington, having yet to rise to prominence in the Army.

Marshall's "little black book" is a proven myth that was drawn from Marshall's incredible memory.