On April, 11 1951, America’s most distinguished Soldier in American history was summarily dismissed from command of the United Nations and United States forces by President Harry S. Truman. Gen MacArthur was fired in the midst of the Korean War. The President's order, telegraphed to MacArthur over the army network, was brief and pointed:
“I deeply regret that it becomes my duty as President and Commander-in-Chief of the United States Military Forces to replace you as Supreme Commander."
Months after the General led the brilliant amphibious assault at Inchon, despite opposition from the Joint Chiefs in DC. The Inchon landing sent the North Korean Army scrambling back across the 38th parallel driving them to the Chinese border. Only after the Chinese sent a wave of soldiers across the line to push the U.N. forces reeling back south of Seoul did Truman distance himself from MacArthur. Did MacArthur foresee the Chinese involvement from the Korean War? Or where the Chinese that paranoid that the U.N forces would invade so they had to push the aggressors back by any means?
Regardless, Gen Douglass Macarthur is one of the many great leaders in our history that I admire. Some say he was brilliant, controversial, aloof, egotistical, imperious, and courageous. Regardless of what was written and said about him. Everyday when I put that uniform on, his “Duty, Honor, Country” are the core values I try to live up to in and out of uniform I leave you with the General’s own words:
Others will debate the controversial issues, national and international, which divide men's minds. But serene, calm, aloof, you stand as the Nation's war guardians, as its lifeguards from the raging tides of international conflict, as its gladiators in the arena of battle. For a century and a half you have defended, guarded and protected its hallowed traditions of liberty and freedom, of right and justice. Let civilian voices argue the merits or demerits of our processes of government: whether our strength is being sapped by deficit financing indulged in too long, by federal paternalism grown too mighty, by power groups grown too arrogant, by politics grown too corrupt, by crime grown too rampant, by morals grown too low, by taxes grown too high, by extremists grown too violent; whether our personal liberties are as firm and complete as they should be; these great national problems are not for your professional participation or military solution. Your guidepost stands out like a tenfold beacon in the night.
“Old Soldiers never die they just fade away” |
