MacArthur's widow remembered as general's aide, compass, anchor

Frank Sackton
guest columnist
State Press

A wonderful woman passed from the scene Friday when Jean MacArthur died. She was 101.

The widow of Gen. Douglas MacArthur leaves a legacy of courage, grace and imagination. She never wanted public notice; she preferred to remain in the shadow of her great. She always referred to her husband as "The General" or "Sir Boss."

Jean was endowed with great gifts but also with great burdens. She bore them all with dignity. On Christmas Eve 1941, when Manila was under heavy attack by Japanese invaders, MacArthur moved his headquarters to the island fortress of Corregidor. Here Jean suffered the same bombardment and aerial attack as the soldiers. She frequently visited gun crews to pass on a word of cheer and encouragement.

By March, the situation was hopeless, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to Australia to form a military force to fight its way back to the Philippines. The escape was a perilous journey which was accomplished by motor torpedo boat through a ring of Japanese forces surrounding Corregidor. Jean and her young son Arthur accompanied the general and shared the rigorous and difficult situation. Jean remained with her husband whenever possible until the conclusion of the hostilities.

Then, during the occupation of Japan, Jean took on many social, civic and professional duties, freeing the general to perform the enormous task of governing Japan. Jean's ever-gracious nature made her an invaluable aide to her husband. She was unfailingly supportive of the general in public while providing constructive criticism in private.

Throughout it all, she maintained the role of a caring and loving wife. Frequently, Jean became concerned about the general's long work hours. At times, when he was not home by 10 p.m., she would telephone the office. MacArthur did not have a telephone in his office so she would call an aide, Col. Larry Bunker, whose office was next to the general's. She would ask why the general was so late and if he was coming home soon. Bunker would give the reason for delay if it were prudent, or he would parry the question and reassure her that all was. The fact was that when the general became engrossed in a problem there was no way to budge him.

Jean had a bit of mischief about her that came out from time to time. Shortly after hostilities, Emperor Hirohito requested an audience with the general. MacArthur decided to have the meeting at his home in the old U.S. embassy rather than his office. When the emperor arrived, the general suggested that it be a private meeting with only MacArthur, the emperor and the emperor's personal interpreter.

After the meeting, and after the general had bid goodbye to the emperor, MacArthur joined Jean and began to relate the substance of the meeting. But Jean interrupted to tell him that she had heard the discussion from behind the curtain in the upstairs balcony. She simply could not resist being left out.

Like the other American women in Tokyo, she made frequent trips to the military post exchange because that was the only source of new merchandise. The merchandise would arrive infrequently and would last only a short time before being sold out. On one occasion, one of the American women visiting the store saw Mrs. MacArthur waiting in a long line to be served. She approached Jean and exclaimed that it was not dignified for the general's wife to be standing in line -- could she do the shopping for her? But Jean stayed in line and waited her turn.

On another occasion the manager of the store saw her come into the lobby and attempted to escort her to a special elevator. But Jean would have none of that, declining with a broad and friendly smile -- very typical of this gracious and charming lady who was as comfortable in the company of the lowest-ranking soldiers as she was with kings and presidents. Clearly, she was the compass and the anchor for Gen. MacArthur during the storms of war and peace.

Frank Sackton, a professor emeritus in the School of Public Affairs, was the staff secretary to Gen. MacArthur during the occupation of Japan. He can be reached at frank.sackton@asu.edu.