TREASURES IN YOUR ATTIC : Amazingly, MacArthur’s signature likely is genuine

Font Size:

By Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson | Sunday, November 19, 2006 1:37 AM CST | () comments

Q: As a youngster during World War II, I decided to write to my favorite general, Douglas MacArthur. I have enclosed a copy of the returned letter with General MacArthur’s note and signature added at the bottom under my signature. I was wondering what its current monetary value might be. Sincerely. — C. M. J., Westover, Md.

A: Douglas MacArthur was born in Little Rock, Ark., on Jan. 26, 1880. His father was Lt. Gen. Arthur MacArthur, who had won the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. In his memoirs, “Reminiscences,” MacArthur remembers that the first sound he heard was that of a bugle and says that he could “...ride and shoot even before I could read or write — indeed, almost before I could walk and talk.”

MacArthur entered West Point in 1898 and graduated first in his class in 1903, and when his father became governor general of the Philippines young Douglas became one of his aides. During the First World War, Douglas MacArthur became a brigadier general and was the most decorated solder in that conflict. One of his fellow general officers described him as the “greatest fighting man” in the army.

MacArthur had a splendid career between the two great wars, and he actually retired in 1937. But in 1941 Franklin Roosevelt recalled him to active duty and he became commander of United States Armed Forces in the Far East based in Manila.

His actual headquarters during the 1941-42 Philippine campaign was in Corregidor. In 1942, President Roosevelt ordered MacArthur to relocate to Melbourne, Australia, before the Philippines were lost to the Japanese. Once in Australia, MacArthur made his famous “I came out of Bataan and I shall return” speech.

In Australia, MacArthur was made Supreme Commander in the Southwest Pacific Area and put in charge of the Australian military. On Oct. 20, 1944, MacArthur did indeed return to the Philippines, and it was there he was planning the anticipated invasion of Japan that was to have taken place in November, 1945, and probably would have if the atomic bomb had not made that invasion unnecessary.

Our research suggests that McArthur was in Manila in May, 1945, when he received the letter from C. M. J. What astounds us is that the letter was written on May 10, 1945 in North Carolina. It subsequently crossed the Pacific Ocean during wartime and was on its way back to United States with MacArthur’s note penned at the bottom within a mere 14 days (the return envelope is postmarked for May 24, 1945).

Unfortunately, when we see brief notes and signatures ostensibly written by celebrities and important personages we are immediately suspicious. Most of these individuals had secretaries and assistants to take care of the mountains of correspondence received daily, and many times the note and the signature were not actually penned by the celebrity personally.

However, after carefully comparing the handwriting and signature on this letter with known examples of MacArthur’s penmanship, we feel that the note and signature are probably genuine. If we are correct, the insurance replacement value for this letter should be about $650 to $800.

Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson are the authors of the “Price It Yourself” (HarperResource, $19.95). Questions can be mailed to them at P.O. Box 12208, Knoxville, TN 37912-0208.