A Visit to the MacArthur Memorial
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Entrance to MacArthur Memorial (Photo courtesy of The Philippines on the Potomac Project (POPDC))
The old courthouse that now serves as the Memorial was offered by Mayor Fred Duckworth in 1960 as a museum and a repository of General Douglas MacArthur’s papers, books and other memorabilia. MacArthur soon entered a partnership with the city on the condition that he and his wife, Jean, would be buried at the Rotunda of the Memorial. Though MacArthur never lived in Norfolk, he considered it his “spiritual home” because of his family’s ties to the city. Aside from growing up in Norfolk, his mother, Mary Pinkney Hardy, also got married, gave birth to her eldest son Arthur III, and buried her middle son Malcolm there.
The Rotunda of the MacArthur Memorial (Photo courtesy of The Philippines on the Potomac Project (POPDC))
In January 1964, the MacArthur Memorial opened. MacArthur planned to attend the formal opening in May, saying “he would attend dead or alive.” However, he died April 5th, a month before the opening. A week after his death, April 11, 1964, he was buried at the Rotunda. The Washington Post reported an estimated crowd of 200,000 lined the streets of Norfolk to welcome his body and 60,000 persons paid their respects at the Memorial. At the memorial service, top government and military officials were present including Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (who represented President Lyndon Johnson) and his wife, Ethel, and Virginia Governor Albertis Harrison. Ten foreign countries – Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Japan, Korea, Monaco, Nicaragua, and the Philippines – were represented. Japan sent the largest delegation led by Shigeru Yoshida who was the Prime Minister after World War II. As the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers, MacArthur oversaw the occupation and rebuilding of Japan after the war, working closely with the Japanese people.
The Philippines also had a close relationship with MacArthur. The delegation was led by Carlos P. Romulo, former President of the United Nations General Assembly, and who was MacArthur’s military aid during World War II. MacArthur served in the Philippines several times but stayed there the longest when President Manuel Quezon hired him as the Philippine Military Advisor. MacArthur and his family lived at the penthouse of the Manila Hotel.
During World War II when MacArthur had to leave the Philippines on March 11, 1942, he famously declared, “I Shall Return.” Two years later, on October 20, 1944, he kept his promise. The Filipinos who accompanied him on that famous walk on Leyte landing were President Sergio Osmena, Carlos P. Romulo and MacArthur’s personal aid, Francisco Salveron.
MacArthur Memorial Archivist James Zobel led a tour of the Jean MacArthur Research Center where the MacArthur collection is located. Zobel presented our group with priceless documents, photographs and different artifacts important to Filipino American history from the more than two million documents, photographs and other items found in the library. Some of the treasures found in the library are papers from MacArthur’s tenure as the Philippine Military Advisor when he helped establish the Philippine Army and Defense. Zobel’s passion and knowledge about Filipino-American history was impressive as he related details about the Philippine-American War to World War II.
The MacArthur ties to the Philippines go back to the Philippine-American War. The father of Douglas MacArthur, Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur, led US troops in the Philippines during the Philippine-American war. He was later appointed Military Governor of the Philippines. Among the few items directly related to Arthur MacArthur found in the library is a map of Manila with notations where Americans troops were located. Zobel told us how this valuable map was found in the trash before it was sent to the MacArthur Memorial.
MacArthur’ hat, corn cob pipe and glasses on display (Photo courtesy of The Philippines on the Potomac Project (POPDC))
In another room, Education Manager Amanda Williams presented us with the fascinating contents of their Spanish-American War Footlocker which is part of their free traveling education program. They also have World War I and World War II footlockers available for schools in Virginia and North Carolina within a 120-mile radius of Norfolk. More than 30 artifacts were on display with accompanying fact sheets providing details about each item. We were surprised to find out that some of the objects were not copies but the real artifacts such as the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal. Other items ranged from the seemingly mundane, like sunburn preventative cream that was used for gun burns (and the precursor to sunscreen) to important historical documents such as Aguinaldo’s Declaration of Independence. These artifacts are supposed to provide students with a deeper understanding of the Spanish American War and the relationship between the United States, the Philippines and Cuba.
Williams also mentioned that in 2019 there will be an exhibit that will focus on the United States and Asia as seen through the lives of General Douglas MacArthur and his father, Arthur. She explained that both men served in the Philippines, Arthur MacArthur during the Philippine-American War, while his son Douglas was there during several points of his career through World War II. The evolving relationship of the Philippines from colony to an independent nation can be seen through the roles father and son played throughout Filipino-American history.
The MacArthur Memorial continues to honor MacArthur’s life as it provides a comprehensive look of his life. After our visit, we learned how MacArthur played an important role in Philippine history, and how the Philippines became an important part of his life. We hope to return one day soon to explore the archives and gain more insights on Filipino American history.
MacArthur Memorial
GPS Address:198 Bank Street, Norfolk, VA 23510
Hours: Closed Monday, Open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am -5 pm, Sunday 11 am – 5 pm
Website: https://www.macarthurmemorial.org/
Titchie Carandang Tiongson
Titchie Carandang-Tiongson is a freelance writer. Her articles have been published in Northern Virginia Magazine, Working Mom, Asian Journal, Metro Home and Vault. She and her husband Erwin are the co-founders and co-creators of the Philippines on the Potomac (POPDC) Project where they document landmarks of Philippine history and culture in Washington, DC. She lives in Fairfax with Erwin and their children, Nicolas and Rafael.
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