Obverse
Portrait of General Douglas MacArthur, "General Douglas MacArthur" "" ""
Reverse
"Duty Honor Country" "Douglas MacArthur" "Army Chief of Staff - , Field Marshall Philippines - , Supreme Commander Southwest Pacific - " General of the Army - , Commander-in-Chief Korea - "
Literature
The Danbury Mint. Westport, Connecticut
Dear collector:
Your MacArthur commemorative set is part of a registered, limited edition issued by The Danbury Mint to pay tribute to one of America’s most distinguished men. The serial number appearing on the edge of your medal and on the registration certificate identifies the number of your set within this Edition.
To enhance your appreciation of the MacArthur commemorative set, we would like to provide you some additional information about your Set.
The MacArthur Medal - The MacArthur medal was struck by the Metal Arts Manufacturing division of American Mint Associates, Inc. To achieve the unusually high-relief bust of MacArthur on the obverse, each medal was struck four times on a minting press exerting 250,000 pounds of pressure per strike. Each medal has been carefully finished with a special antique, satin finish which will permit you to handle your medal without danger of damaging its surface.
Obverse: there are several distinctive marks on the obverse of the Macarthur medal. The letters RHR appearing just beneath the date "" are the initials of the sculptor, Robert H. Ramp. The "" indicates the year of the sculpturing. The Metal Arts mintmark appears beneath the date "". The bust of MacArthur depicts him in the familiar open collar, and the army field commander's cap which became his trademark. The five stars on his lapel signify his rank As general of the army.
The rim of each medal bears the distinguished signature of the Danbury mint, the serial number of the medal, and the words Bronze, Sterling silver or Platinum signifying the metal content.
Reverse: on the reverse, the legend Duty + Honor + Country appears. It is the motto of the United States military academy. The traditions of West Point held a special significance for MacArthur: he graduated at the top of his class in , and he later served as superintendent of West Point from to . In his final address to the cadets of west point, in , in accepting the Sylvanus Thayer award for service to his country, MacArthur said: "Duty, Honor, Country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.”
The five stars symbolize MacArthur’s rank of General of the Army, a rank attained by only four others (Henry H. Arnold, Omar N. Bradley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and George C. Marshall). The torches symbolize the unquenchable flame of American liberty, an eternal beacon to those who seek sanctuary from the oppression. They symbolize vigilance MacArthur believed necessary to protect and preserve our liberty.
Macarthur First Day Cover - The MacArthur first day covers are limited in number and help establish the scarcity and value of the set. The MacArthur Commemorative stamp was designed by Paul Calle. The portrait design is based on a photo taken in early 1944 aboard a flying fortress, during an inspection flight over New Guinea.
The first day cancellation was made at official ceremonies honoring MacArthur on at Norfolk, Virginia -- site of the MacArthur Memorial Foundation where MacArthur’s body is interred, -and where important memorabilia from his life are maintained.
The cachet engraving is from a photo taken in . "I shall return" is the immortal promise MacArthur made to the people of the Philippines in when he was ordered by President Roosevelt to leave the besieged island of Corregidor. These words became the watchword of Philippine and American resistance during the Japanese occupation of the islands. It was a promise Macarthur was to fulfill in with the initial landings at Leyte, and later, the liberation of the entire Philippine Islands.
The MacArthur Medal and First Day Cover are displayed in a handsome, padded album. The album may be folded over in easel style for conveniently displaying your Commemorative Set. The medal may be removed by tapping lightly on the back of the album just behind the medal. The medal is pressure inserted and may be difficult to remove the first time. The first day cover may also be removed, but it is recommended for maximum protection that your medal and First Day Cover be left in the album on most occasions.
The Danbury Mint takes great pride in having created this distinct commemorative honoring Douglas MacArthur -- truly, one of the great Americans of our time. We are confident that you will share our enthusiasm. Should you have any questions regarding your set, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely
SGD
C. Wesley Leonard
Director, Collector Programs
The Danbury Mint is not affiliated with the U.S. mint or any other governmental agency
Registration
The Danbury Mint
General Douglas Macarthur Commemorative Set
Registration Certificate
The General Douglas MacArthur Commemorative Set was issued in by The Danbury Mint, Westport, Connecticut, U.S.A. It is the second Commemorative Set issued by The Danbury Mint to honor one of America's most distinguished citizens.
The first bronze sets of this Commemorative Set were reserved for the MacArthur family, the President, and the United States Military Academy Museum at West Point.
Other sets were issued as a Registered, Limited Edition. The set whose number appears below and on the accompanying medal is registered in the name of:
Name and Address
Bronze Set Number Serial Number
Any subsequent change of ownership should be recorded on the other side of this Registration Certificate.
Transfer of ownership
For value received, I hereby sell, assign and transfer unto __-blank-____ my full ownership rights in the said set of the Registered, Limited Edition of the General Douglas MacArthur Commemorative Set.
Dated ___-blank-___
___-blank-___
Signature