1919: MacArthur's Vision of West Point's Future Warriors

On June 12, 1919, Brigadier General Douglas MacArthur slipped quietly into the command of the garrison in the Hudson Highlands, more commonly known as the United States Military Academy at West Point. He had chosen to forego the usual extravagant change of command ceremony and the Corps Review stating the, They ll see me soon and often enough. MacArthur was, at thirty-nine, one of the youngest superintendents in the history of the Academy. He was also the youngest brigadier general in the Army. His career had been exemplary, and his near legendary exploits on the battlefields of Europe in World War I were reflected by the two Distinguished Service Crosses and the seven Silver Stars that hung from the lapel of his uniform. In the search for a man of character and strength to rebuild the Academy, the Army Chief of Staff, General Peyton March, had with good reason looked to Douglas MacArthur.