Now all roads lead to France and heavy is the tread
Of the living; but the dead returning lightly dance.
Edward Thomas, Roads

Friday, December 8, 2017

Douglas MacArthur's Footlocker

Contributed by Steve Miller


Regular contributor Steve Miller is a documentarian of World War One locales, including museums.  Here we have a revealing composite of photos Steve took at the General Douglas MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia. It shows a blowup of the general's identity card with photo and the contents of his footlocker. The locker contains some interesting items: a uniform with Sam Browne belt; sewing kit; personal file of 83rd Brigade of the 42nd Division that MacArthur served in and commanded briefly; a razor set; a cigarette case presented to the general by his troops; identity card; Catholic and Jewish prayer books; first issue of Stars and Stripes newspaper; the pamphlets "Use of Mines in Trench Warfare," "Bayonet Training," and "Infantry Drill Regulations;" books: Minor Tactics, Richard Harding Davis's novel Captain Macklin's Memoirs, The Cavalry, and two volumes of Napoleon's writings.

4 comments:

  1. Very nice; you would like to think he used all of that...

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  2. Steve Miller does a great job documenting WWI history with his camera!! He should have his own website.

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    1. Thanks, Doug, but I really don't have the time. My interest in WW I stems from a college history course which made me realize the Great War was the event that shaped the 20th Century; we continue to feel its influence today.

      I visit these sites out of interest. What good are monuments and memorials if no one visits them?

      Steve Miller

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  3. Fascinating museum and well worth the visit. We live in Virginia Beach and have been there a couple of times.

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