Obituaries

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In a message to President Roosevelt, on Feb. 11, 1942, MacArthur said that he intended to, “... share the fate of the garrison.” This focused the politicians on the general’s probable fate. By this time, MacArthur, as a result of his publicity campaign, was being feted by the American press as “The Hero of the Pacific.”

One of Roosevelt’s closest advisors, Maj. Gen. Edwin (“Pa”) Watson opined that MacArthur was worth, “...f ive Army corps!” Gen. Eisenhower thought, “... that we are... reacting to ‘public opinion’ rather than to military logic,” and urged the president not to bow to the pressure. On Feb. 23, 1942, MacArthur received the following message:

“The President directs that you make arrangements to leave and proceed to Mindanao. You are directed to make this change as quickly as possible … From Mindanao you will proceed to Australia where you will assume command of all United States troops … Instructions will be given from here at your request for the movement of submarine or plane or both to enable you to carry out the foregoing instructions. You are authorized to take your chief of staff General [Richard K.] Sutherland.”

On the evening of March 11, 1942, MacArthur, his wife, son, his son’s nanny and staff left Luzon in four PTboats, commanded by Lt. John Bulkeley, bound for the island of Mindanao, 600 miles distant. In order to accommodate the extra passengers, 32 of the crew were left behind. They were ordered to Bataan and captivity or death. MacArthur had been ordered to take only Gen. Sutherland, but disobeyed that order and took 14 additional staff officers and his son’s nanny with him.

Before he abandoned his soldiers, the “The Hero of the Pacific” told them that thousands of reinforcements were on the way, together with air support.

MARY JEAN CRANDALL Berlin

What a life … 95.5!

If you knew Mary Jean, you were well aware she was full of zest and vitality.

Born in Minnesota in 1926, she lived life to the fullest. She raised four kids, Kim, Scott, Kelly and Kasey.

Decades ago two awesome men joined the family, Richard Malone and Ron Callison, two more sons for MJ.

For the past two years, both Scott and Dick cared for our mom with tenderness, dedication and love.

Grams loved her grandchildren, Drew and Kim Neyman, Katy and John Homyk, Emily and Scott Masuhr, and Mary and Will Hathaway. She was proud of them and their life accomplishments.

Recently the great-grands, Hudson, Carter, Greyson, Molly Jean and Hattie, warmed her soul with amusement and joy.

Throughout her life she had a thirst for knowledge. She cherished her early years at Carleton and Occidental colleges.

She continued her learning quest by participating in lifelong learning courses, reading and traveling the world extensively visiting over 70 countries.

Mary Jean was always up for boating, a bridge game, a glass of wine, a gathering of friends and family, and any adventure big or small that came her way. She had a memory like no other and could spin a great story.

This incredible woman will be sorely missed - Mom, Mary Jean, Grams, MJ, Miss Mary, Midge. Rest in Peace, we love you more than you know.

Arrangements are in the care of Eastern Shore Cremation and Funeral Service, 504 Franklin Avenue, Berlin, Maryland 21811. To send condolences to the family, please visit www.easternshorecremation.com. It was false. And he knew it was false. He ordered the soldiers to continue fighting until the reinforcements arrived. It was described by Brig. Gen. William E. Brougher, who remained on Bataan, as, “A foul trick of deception played on a large group of Americans by a commander-in-chief and his small staff who are now eating steak and eggs in Australia.”

Two days after their departure from Luzon, Lt. Bulkeley and another boat arrived at Mindanao. Not until March 17, did the B-17s become available to transport MacArthur and what was left of those that had departed Luzon six days earlier. As the two B-17s approached their destination — Darwin, Australia — they learned that the city was under attack from Japanese airplanes, so they landed at Batchelor Airfield, located south of Batchelor, which is 61 miles south of Darwin.

From there, he flew to the town of Alice Springs, 750 miles further south, from whence he took the train to Adelaide, another 950 miles. Along the way, the train stopped at Terowie, 137 miles north of Adelaide, on March 20, 1941. At Terowie, MacArthur gave a speech, in which he said, “I came out of Bataan and I shall return.” By the time he arrived in Adelaide, the speech had changed to, “I came through and I shall return.”

The starving Bataan defenders surrendered on April 9, 1942. Nine days later, MacArthur was appointed Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area. He was not given command all Allied forces in the Pacific because Adm. Chester Nimitz told the president that the Navy would not serve under the Philippine field marshal!

Gen. Jonathon M. Wainwright IV surrendered the island of Corregidor on May 9, 1942. The defenders of Bataan and Corregidor spent the rest of the war in Japanese prison camps — those that survived.

After German Propaganda Minister, Dr. Joseph Goebbels labeled him the “fleeing general,” and Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, called him a coward, MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor for leaving, and opposed it for Wainwright, whom he left holding the bag. The escape, in the PTboats, was the basis of the 1945 movie, “They Were Expendable,” starring Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, and Ward Bond.

Ultimately, MacArthur was able to prevail upon FDR to allow him to return to the Philippines in October 1944 — against the advice of most U.S. military advisers.

Next week: America’s Concentration Camps

Mr. Wimbrow writes from Ocean City, Maryland, where he practices law representing those persons accused of criminal and traffic offenses, and those persons who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. He can be contacted at: wimbrowlaw@gmail.com.