Evening star., 1953-09-03
Wainwright Lost Major Battle, but Inspired Nation

Gen. Jonathan Mayhem VAIN
wright was one of the great mill
tary commanders of American
history.
He lost major battle in World
War II. but in doing so, he in
spired the Nation and won the
respect of the world.
He was the dauntless hero of
Corregidor. For 28 days in
1912. his battered army de-
Tended that small island rock in
the Philippines against over
whelming Japanese forces -
knowing well that in the end he
faced defeat.
Gen. Wainwright's decision to
continue the fight bought pre-
cious time for the allies at a
crucial point in the conflict. And
his magnificent display of cour-
age under the most adverse con-
ditionS led the late President
Franklin D. Roosevelt to say he
had given shining example of
fortitude and self-sacrifice" that
set a standard of duty for
soldiers everywhere.
"You and your devoted follow
ers have become the living SYM
Dol of our war aims and the
guarantee of victory" the Presi-
dent declared in a message to
the general in those dark hours.
POW for 3 Years.
After Corregidor fell, Gen.
Wainwright was held as pris-
oner of war for three years,
three months and 18 days. The
pangS of defeat were followed by
physical torture and mental tor
ment for his arrogant captors
subjected him to almost unbe-
lievable indignities.
But the gaunt old soldier sur
vived and was freed in time to
witness the unconditional sur
render of the Japanese aboard
U11C OdLO1CS1l1P N11OOOuI1.
Then he flew to the Philippines
to accept the surrender of Gen.
Tomoyuki YamaShita. the Jap
anese tiger of Malaga" who
commanded the once great
Philippines army.
When he returned to the
United States, Gen. Wainwright
was weary and showed signs of
the strain of the war years. He
had never looked more the part
of his nickname, Skinny"
But he was acclaimed from
coast to coast by millions of
grateful Americans, many of
them WashingtonianS who had
known him well through the
years.
In october, 1945, The Star and
other newspapers published Gen.
Wainwright's story of the war in
serial form. In reviewing the
plans for defense of the Philip
pines. drafted long before the
japanese attack, Gen. VAIN
wright said he and Gen. Mac
Arthur were convinced that they
were "defeatist," but that they
could nothing about them.
Gen. Wainwright revealed a
bitterness toward his fate on
Corregidor when he wrote ex-
tenSively on the failure to pre-
pare the Philippines for war and
Of the dark days when his men
hoped for arms, ammunition and
planes that never came. He
stoutly defended Gen. Mac
Arthur's loss of the Philippines,
saying the general was not in
formed of the diplomatic ex-
changes that indicated war was
inevitable.
Spent Years in d. C.
Gen. wainwright spent long
tours of duty here in the Capital.
Early in 1921, he was assigned
to the old War Departments
General Staff, first with the Op-
erations and Training Division,
and later with the Supply Di-
vision.
His next service was with the
Third Cavalry at Fort Myer,
where he remained from Janu-
ary, 1923, until March. 1925.
Then he returned to the Opera
tions Division of the General
Staff.
When he was relieved of that
duty in 1923, he attended the
field officers course at the Chem
ical Warfare School in Edgewood
Arsenal, Md, and after several
assignments in the Midwest
came back to Washington in the
summer of 1888 to attend the
Army War College.
He became assistant COM
mandant of the Cavalry School
at Fort Riley, Kans., and in
June, 1886. assumed command
of the Sd Cavalry at Fort
Myer. He remained there until
December, 1888.
The tall, modest officer and
his attractive wife attended most
of the good horse shows in the
Metropolitan Area and rode fire.
quently to the hounds. When he
was ordered from Fort Myer to
Fort Clark, Tex, in 1888, a group
of huntsmen honored Gen.
Wainwright with a farewell BAN
quet at the Willard Hotel. News
paper accounts said most of those
attending. appeared in pink rid
ing coats but that the honor
guest, then a colonel, was the
\ most colorful figure of all.
He earned a reputation as a
polo player and was a member
of horse teams wherever he
served. Someone once said that
the advent of the tank broke his
heart because, being bowlegged,
he thought he fit a horse better
than a tank.
West Point 'O6.
His first cavalry assignment
came upon graduation from