The MacArthur Memorial and Cebu history

My readers know that I’m very passionate about World War II history because whenever we see the occasion, we always write about this part of our history in that war that my generation missed. So when my old friend and buddy Mr. Louis Jurika emailed me that he was coming to Cebu bringing with him his friend, Mr. James “Jim” Zobel, the Archivist of the MacArthur Memorial Museum in Norfolk, Virginia, I was ecstatic!

The MacArthur Memorial Museum is the final resting place of American Caesar Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his wife Jean. It is one of a kind for an American military officer. Normally, specialized libraries are reserved for American Presidents. But Gen. MacArthur’s colorful military career spanned many Presidents and he had an eye of history, hence his museum and library contains all the things that belonged to the General, like his famous corn-on-the-cob pipe, his signature RayBan sunglasses and many documents, photos and artifacts during his lifetime.

Last Wednesday, my two friends arrived and went straight to the Fernan Press Center so I could interview them on my show on Straight from the Sky. After the taping we honored the invitation Ms. Marisa Fernan for dinner at the Casino Español with a few friends, mostly from the media who love history, like Mr. Rene and Erlinda Kintanar Alburo of the Cebuano Studies Center, Gavin Sanson Bagares of Cebu Daily News, Dr. Noel Ponce an armchair historian like me, Jose Eleazer “Jobers” Bersales Chairman who is deeply involved in archaeological diggings in Boljoon, Cebu and Ms. Madrilena de la Cerna of the University of the Philippines (UP) Lahug Campus Visayas Studies center.

It was an amazing night. Mr. Jim Zobel brought with him an odd assortment of 50 old black and white photographs of Cebu that belonged to the MacArthur Memorial a.k.a. MacMem. Those photographs were little treasures, glimpses of the past that happened in Cebu when the majority of us were not yet even born. Jim Zobel told us that there were more in the archives. I’m sure that Gov. Gwen Garcia who has an eye for history would want to have these photos mounted and displayed in the Provincial Museum.

There was the photo of the construction of the road in Tisa going towards the Bushian Dam; the construction of the dam, then called the Osmeña Water Works System and a parabolic photo of the view surrounding the dam, which showed that the surrounding hills of Cebu were truly barren in those days. Today, we have a forest cover around the dam.

There was also a strange photograph of the beginnings of the old Carreta cemetery where many Cebuanos who died due to a cholera outbreak were buried. Coincidentally that area is very close to the Provincial Museum. There were many photos of the bombed ruins of Cebu City and one photo of the soldiers with a water-cooled machine gun of the Americal Division watching over the town of Tabogon. There were photos of Gen. MacArthur’s sentimental journey where he came to Cebu. Jim Zobel promised to send me a copy of that speech.

One of the highlights of the overnight visit of Jim Zobel and Louis Jurika was when they got to meet my uncle, Col. Manuel F. Segura, who wrote the books, “Tabunan” and “The Koga Papers” whose books they already read and are in the archives of MacMem. Because it was his first time to meet a real live Filipino guerrilla, he gave Col. Segura a 5-Star MacArthur pin, worn only by MacMem directors. Both Marisa and I were given a gold MacArthur coin made by the US Mint.

We shall write more about him when he sends me more photos and documents about Cebu during the time of Gen. MacArthur. The history of Cebu, especially our role during the Second World War, was never reported by any historian. You will never find it in our history books. This is why I do this to educate our readers.

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This afternoon, renowned Cebuano artist and painter par excellence Celso Duazo Pepito will be holding his 28th One Man Show at the lobby of the 12 Bldg. (this is the first building on the right nearest Waterfront Hotel), AsiaTown IT Park Lahug from today to April 13. This is just one of the many shows that Celso Pepito has done. He is undoubtedly one of the most prolific painters in Cebu who also encourages budding painters to take up the paintbrush. Celso Pepito has a philosophy which goes, “Art is not only about beauty but goes beyond it.” Kudos to the indefatigable Celso and his art.