Chester Hill 1988
“GENERAL MACARTHUR ALONGSIDE”
On 22 April 1944 the landings on the beaches of Tanahmerah Bay were proceeding quite well, although there was talk of a fair amount of difficulty with the terrain just a little ways inland as our forces approached Lake Sentani. The light cruiser Nashville came around the headlands and hove to just inside the bay. They signaled General MacArthur’s request for General Eichelberger and Admiral Barbey to join him on board. I believe they caught a ride over with Lieutenant General Krueger. Commander Sixth Army, in the Wilkes’ boat. He had ridden our sister ship up from Goodenough Island. About half an hour later we saw a LCVP leave Nashville and head towards us carrying enough rank to start their own Pentagon. Nashville told us that they were going to stop by us on their way ashore for Eichelberger and Barbey to get their shore going accouterments. Captain Robertson wanted to go down and greet the distinguished party but was quite busy with some problems at the time, so as OOD I drew the honor.
We had left the sea ladder down pending our passengers’ return. I gave the Supreme Commander, Allied Forces Southwest Pacific the snappiest salute I could muster, presented him with Captain Robertson’s compliments, introduced myself and invited him on the Captain’s behalf to please step aboard Swanson while they waited for our folks to get their stuff from their quarters and return. On impulse in the process I reached down over the rail and proffered my hand as he thanked us for our kind invitation, but declined, as he met me with his own firm handshake. He said he would be just fine waiting for our people in his trusty landing craft. Just out of plain courtesy, I believe, he asked me a couple of brief questions about what was going on ashore, to which I answered what little I had heard, and I am sure he was familiar with that. He then turned majestically, showing me that famous profile (corncob pipe, golden wreathed cap, and all) and introduced me to General Krueger and a couple of other officers whose names I do not remember. I think that one of them was Commodore Arleigh Burke “King of the Cans” on a liaison assignment from the aircraft carrier forces covering our operation from a distance to the north. I am not positive of that.
The General was getting obviously anxious to get going ashore, but he did remark to me that Swanson was a fine looking ship. By then we saw our people from his party coming and they were soon underway. As I gave their coxswain the time honored order to cast off and carry out his orders. I cautioned him to stay to starboard of us so that we could shield him from a little island up ahead to port, with which we had exchanged a little pesky gunfire during the forenoon watch, but which our troops had not fully secured yet. The LCVP prudently stayed close to us as we moved on in toward the beach as far as was advisable and withdrew.
Roughly an hour later they returned alongside to return our people, and as during their earlier visit did not put lines over but simply held position with boat-hooks to disembark them. Again, I manned the quarterdeck, as we were at a brief General Quarters due to some indication of bogeys in the area. The General returned my salute with a pleasant “Hello again, Mr. Hill, and how are you this time?” “Very fine General,” I replied and how did you find things ashore?” He said all was well, but did mention the terrain problem near the lake. Thanking Captain Robertson and Swanson for our courtesy, they departed for the Nashville.
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Several years ago my wife and I were visiting three old childhood and high school friends of mine that I had not seen for many years. The slightly older twin brothers had both served in our Navy in WWII and the sister my age had been an Army nurse plying the Atlantic to Great Britain in a transport. There was an awful lot of talking going on. Evelyn turned to me and asked, “Chester, did you ever run into General MacArthur?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Did you meet him?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Did you actually talk with him?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I did.”
“What did you talk about?”
“Well, Evelyn, I sort of opened the conversation by saluting him and saying “Good afternoon, General!”