A special request from our friends at the MacArthur Memorial:
General MacArthur Honor Guard Association members:
As the official repository for all things Douglas MacArthur, the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, VA, (the General’s final resting place) is always interested in items relating directly to the General as well as those who served under his command during his 52-year career in the U.S. Army. These include, but are not limited to, photographs, letters, maps, books, personal memoirs, uniforms, equipment, medals, etc from Spanish-American War through Korean War. The Memorial is especially interested in items relating to members of the General’s Honor Guard, WWII, Occupation of Japan, and Korea. Items given to the Memorial will be preserved for future generations, are tax deductible, and will be made available to researchers and possibly used in future museum exhibits. If you have anything which may be of interest to the Memorial please contact either the Curator, Corey Thornton (james.thornton@norfolk.gov), or Archivist, Jim Zobel (james.zobel@norfolk.gov), or by phone at 757-441-2965.
Corey Thornton
Curator – MacArthur Memorial
757.441.2965
www.macarthurmemorial.org
It is with great sadness that I have to say General MacArthur’s Honor Guard Association is coming to an end. The following is the letter that was sent out by David Valley (Executive Director), with this announcement. The website will continue to function. Please take a moment to sign the Guestbook, and tell these great men how much you appreciate all that they have done for this nation.
May 12, 2013
GMHGA Members:
It is with deep regret that I announce the General MacArthur Honor Guard Association is ending. In part due to personal matters, I advised the Board of Directors that I could no longer publish our newsletter or otherwise carry out the duties of the Chairman.
Since there are no likely candidates to pick up the reins, we resolved to bring the Association to a close. The Association currently has about $5,000 in the treasury which will be donated to the MacArthur Memorial Foundation.
Looking back, I think you will agree, we have had some wonderful times and enjoyed sharing our memories and building friendships. We have a unique and colorful past as one of the finest military units ever established. We carried out our original mission to provide security for General MacArthur flawlessly and later the GMHGA’s mission to enhance the legacy of the General and all who served in his command. We have made our mark. It is long, deep, and indelibly on the pages of military history. We have earned the right to be proud of our service.
But, as they say, all good things must come to an end, and so it is the GMHGA has reached its end point and will finish on a positive note. We say goodbye and God bless to each other and to our dear departed comrades.
This is our last communication. We, the few hundred remaining members can identify with some of the final words of the General when he said, “The shadows are lengthening for me, my twilight is near.” But, may God bless you with many, many more good years.
“I Bid You Farewell,”
David Valley
Please help us keep this website up to date. If you know of an Honor Guard member who has gone on to his final resting place, please notify us with the date and family contact information. Check the Honor Guard List link to make sure the information is correct.
This site is dedicated to the men who served, and loved General Douglas MacArthur. The best of the best were chosen to be in General MacArthur’s personal Honor Guard. This site contains their memories, and honors those who have passed on. We hope you enjoy your time here, while you learn a little about this piece of American history. We appreciate the opportunity to publish your website.
Do you have anything you would like to see added to this website? Pictures, links, letters, or stories passed down, are all things we are looking for. If you can provide video of an Honor Guard member sharing his stories, that would be great! Contact us, or send items to the addresses below.
Beth Ranner McLenaghan
5507 NE Woodbine Road
St. Joseph, Missouri, 64505
(816) 305-5596
or email them to: machonorguard@gmail.com
The Honor Guard Assn is deeply indebted to Ken Simpson for funding our website. Thanks to his generosity, together with the skills of our original “Web Shepherd” (Ken’s son Mark Simpson), the website has become a valuable resource.
General MacArthur Honor Guard Association