Gen. MacArthur Invades Nokia OVI Historical Tweet

With a secured beachhead, the coast was cleared for the arrival of General Douglas MacArthur as he fulfilled his promise to liberate the Filipino people – in his own words, “I Shall Return” has now invaded the pages of Palipasan as they marches towards Nokia's OVI Historical Tweet.

Memorial of former Philippine President Osmena and then Pacific Theatre World War II Commander, Gen. MacArthur, and their staff, wading in the shores of Palo, Leyte in the closing months of the second world war.

This landing preceded one of MacArthur's famous lines: "People of the Philippines, I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil consecrated in the blood of our two people..."

With the memorial (and the original Leyte Landing Photo below), is then President Sergio Osmena(Quezon's vice president, became president when Quezon died in the US), and Carlos Romulo, the rest are their and MacArthur's staff.

The return of General MacArthur in Leyte was a turning point of the Philippine liberation campaign during the Second World War primarily because it marked the first decisive win of the combined Allied forces against their Japanese counterparts, and secondly, it gave hope to the millions of Filipino people and the thousands of POWs as they await their freedom in the hands of the Imperial Army of Japan.

The Leyte Landing Memorial Park, formerly known as the MacArthur Park, in Red Beach Palo, Leyte was built to memorialize the “Leyte Landing” event which is celebrated annually in the Philippines on October 20.

TRIVIA

MacArthur had no middle name, though some Internet sources variously ascribe him a middle initial of "A", "B", "C", "D", "M", or "S". An archivist at the MacArthur Memorial asserts that MacArthur did wear a monogrammed handkerchief with a middle initial of "A", possibly chosen to indicate his father, but the general had no official middle name.

MacArthur's height was 5'10".

While MacArthur was famous for smoking a corncob pipe, he also smoked cigars and cigarettes.

MacArthur had a particular attachment to the Philippines. This began with his father's tenure as the military governor of the nation and later his own. His "I shall return" declaration as Allied troops left it to the conquering Japanese is famous. MacArthur appeared to have a genuine affection for the nation, having spent a good deal of his life there; his mother had died there. It was the only country he visited after his dismissal.

Two towns were named after him namely MacArthur, Leyte and General MacArthur, Eastern Samar.

Other landmarks named after Gen. macArthur were:

The MacArthur Bridge in Manila, Philippines runs across the Pasig River;

The highway that spans from Kalookan, Metro Manila to as far as La Union in the Philippines is named after General MacArthur. It is now aptly called "MacArthur Highway;"

MacArthur Highway in Davao region in Southern Philippines.