MacArthur ever used blue dress uniform?

[Jamecharles]

Weird but not stupid question, anyone have a photo of Gen MacArthur in blue dress uniform?

Considering him one of the US army's youngest major general (On 17 January 1925, at the age of 44, he was promoted, becoming the Army's youngest major general), I guess he probaly bought one during his long career, from a taylor, at some point but I was never able to spot a photo of him in blue dress uniform!

Thanks in advance for any help :)
GS

[Pointedcuffs]

Not in a Generals dress uniform but a dress uniform none the less.

[Jamecharles]

1 hour ago, Pointedcuffs said:

Not in a Generals dress uniform but a dress uniform none the less.

Outstanding! Thank you, is an amazing  photo.

Hope someone can spot him as general  too.

 

[themick]

MacArthur is the one on the right, right?

 

Steve 

[everforward]

8 hours ago, themick said:

MacArthur is the one on the right, right?

 

Steve 

 

Steve, MacArthur is in the middle.

[Justin B.]

MacArthur made his name in WW1, he was very proud of his combat record, and he liked to wear OD. In the 1920s, of course, no blues. Whites were still authorized, though, and MacArthur wore them for his first wedding in 1922. When he was Chief of Staff in the early '30s it was in the deep days of the Depression and he was much more concerned with getting money for good service uniforms for soldiers, and he didn't care about dress uniforms that would be rarely worn. I think he may have avoided being seen in blues in that period, just to present an image of economy. By the time modernizing the dress blues became seriously considered, MacA had moved on to the Philippines. Probably not much call for blues there, but there are photos of him in the 1936-model dress whites.

In WW2 MacA was sometimes photographed in Australia in full service dress with all his ribbons and badges; he was said to be the most decorated US soldier ever. American Caesar by William Manchester says that one day he saw a photo of Eisenhower in the newspaper, and Ike was wearing no ribbons. MacA realized the impact of that less-is-more look and quit wearing ribbons. 

He had some WW2 pink-and-greens that were not regulation, either: The coat had no belt and five buttons down the front.

[Jamecharles]

Thanks alot Justin, great info and good deductions about the chance to see MacArthur with a blue dress.

The concept of "less is more" start it's raise since the beginning of ww2 due to the fact the army instituted alot of new medals, than alot of EM's and jung officers began to reach alot of decorations; paradoxically many non-commissioned officers could have as many medals as a general with a brilliant career, or on the contrary some generals could have fewer medals than a common soldier.
Ike decided to bring only the most important medals on his dress uniforms.

Until today we don't have any proof that certify the existance of a blue dress uniform of Gen. MacArthur.

PS: here a funny photo of him in white dress with his not regluar white dress visor.

GS

[Ranger-1972]

Justin B. is correct in his analysis.

 

There are a couple of photos of young MacArthur in the M1902 high-collar, double-vested version of the blue full-dress uniform (in addition to the one above, there is another in the Pentagon of him in the full-dress uniform while serving as an aide to his father).  All Regular Army officers were required by regulation to own that (as well as the high-collar dress blue uniform, which didn't have the long skirts, the blue mess and the blue special evening dress uniforms).

 

On 26 June 1917, General Order No. 76 abolished the wear of any but the service uniform for officers and enlisted men for the duration of the war.  Wear of the full-dress uniform, blue dress uniform, special evening dress uniform, and the blue mess uniforms were thereby prohibited.  The white dress and mess uniforms continued to be worn in tropical locations, like the Territory of Hawaii, the Panama Canal Zone, and the Philippine Territory.

 

Those blue uniforms continued to be worn by the military aide to the President of the United States.  While then-1LT MacArthur had been the military aide to President Teddy Roosevelt from December 1906 – August 1907, I've only seen a photo of him in the khaki uniform wearing the blue officer's cape.

 

It was not until the 26 January 1929, War Department Circular 5 that the pre-WWI versions of the full-dress uniform, blue dress uniform, special evening dress uniform and blue mess uniforms were again authorized to be worn on an optional basis.  The pre-WWI versions of the white dress uniform and white mess jacket continued to be worn. 

 

The blue dress uniform consisted of a single-breasted coat of blue-black crepe or serge with a standing collar, trimmed with 1 ½” mohair braid and shoulder straps with insignia of rank embroidered on a silk background of the color of the arm or service.  Sky blue doeskin trousers or breeches were worn with a stripe the color of the arm of service (general officers wore dark blue trousers).  The cap was blue with a black visor and gold chin strap, with the coat of arms of the United States embroidered on the front.

 

The full-dress uniform consisted of a double-breasted frock coat of blue-black cloth with a double row of gilt buttons, and a standing collar trimmed with a double row of ½” gold lace with cross-grained silk the color of the arm of service between the bands of gold lace.  Gold shoulder knots were worn, with the insignia of rank sewn on the knots.  Sleeves were trimmed with a ½” band of gold lace, with trefoils of 1/8” gold lace indicating the rank of the officer.  The trousers and cap were the same as for the dress uniform.

 

A dress belt and saber slings were worn.  The black enameled leather belt was covered with four bands of gold lace interspersed with three bands of silk the color of the arm of service. Field-grade officers (majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels) wore a belt with a solid band of gold and no branch colors.

 

The special evening dress uniform was a civilian cut evening dress coat, with the same sleeve ornamentation and shoulder knots as on the full-dress coat.  The coat had two gold buttons on each side.  A white vest was worn, with gold buttons.

 

The blue mess jacket was the same material as the dress coat, with the same sleeve ornamentation and shoulder knots as on the full-dress coat.  The lapels were faced with cloth the color of the arm of service.

 

It wasn't until 4 November 1929 that War Department Circular 58 announced that the QM Depot in Philadelphia was ready to accept orders for the blue uniform for both officers and enlisted men of all arms and services.

 

MacArthur had been a major general since 1925 and was appointed as Chief of Staff of the Army in 1930.  As a general, he could not have worn his pre-WWI full-dress, mess dress or special evening dress uniforms, and the uniforms prescribed for general officers was quite different (different cap, different color ornamentation, different sleeve cuff ornamentation, different sword belt, different trousers, different blue cape).

 

In 1936, War Dept. Circular 66 authorized the wear of a new blue dress uniform with a roll collar in lieu of the standing collar that had been worn since 1895. This uniform had no pockets (upper or lower) and had branch-colored shoulder boards and branch color trim on the sleeve.

 

By then, MacArthur had retired from the US Army and was the Military Advisor to the Commonwealth of the Philippines. He became the Field Marshal of the Philippine Army in 1936 (his khaki hat with the oak leaves on both the base of the cap and the brim of the cap was his Field Marshal cap, not a US Army general officer cap; US Army officers did not wear embroidered oak leaves on their service uniform caps until well after WWII).

[Ranger-1972]

Wedding of Brigadier General MacArthur wearing the high-collar dress white uniform on 14 Feb 1922 when he married Henrietta Louise Cromwell Brooks at her family's villa in Palm Beach, Florida.  At that time, MacArthur was the Superintendent of the US Military Academy.

 

 

 

Below is a 4 March 1933 photo of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's reviewing the military parade following his inauguration. Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur is standing between the President and First Lady ... and is wearing the OD wool service uniform and overcoat, not his dress blue uniform and blue cape. The Chief of Naval Operations is on the President's other side ... and is wearing their blue dress uniform with bicorne hat and boat cloak. The Army aide to the President (a captain) is to the left of the photo, in the second row and slightly behind the President ... and is wearing the Army dress blue uniform and blue cape (the gold aiguillette on his right shoulder is not visible because of the cape).  The naval aide to the President is at the far left of the photo ... also in his dress uniform (with bicorne hat), with the gold aiguillette visible, since he is not wearing his boat cloak.

 

If he wasn't going to wear the dress blue uniform for the President's inauguration, it's unlikely he wore it for any occasion.

 

  

 

Below are photos of MacArthur in the Army roll-collar dress white uniform, with the specially designed cap of the Field Marshal of the Philippine Army.  He did not wear a special rank insignia, but the Philippine President awarded him a special marshal's baton.

 

 

  

 

[Jamecharles]

Amazing photos and great articles / answers to this post, THANKS all !
GS