Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV

:This page is about General Wainwright. For others named Jonathan Wainwright, see Jonathan Wainwright (disambiguation).

World War II

In September 1940, Wainwright was promoted to Major General (temporary) and returned to the Philippines, in December, as commander of the Philippine Department. As the senior field commander of Filipino and US forces—under General Douglas MacArthur—Wainwright was responsible for resisting the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, which began in December 1941. Retreating from the Japanese beachhead of Lingayen Gulf, Allied forces had withdrawn onto the Bataan Peninsula and Corregidor by January 1942, where they defended the entrance to Manila Bay.

Related Topics:
1940 - Major General - Philippine Department - Douglas MacArthur - Japanese invasion of the Philippines - 1941 - Beachhead - Lingayen Gulf - Bataan Peninsula - Corregidor - 1942 - Manila Bay

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Following the relocation of MacArthur to Australia in March, to serve as Allied Supreme Commander, South West Pacific Area, Wainwright inherited the unenviable position of Allied commander in the Philippines. On April 9, the 70,000 troops on Bataan surrendered. In March, Wainwright was promoted to Lieutenant General (temporarily). On May 5, the Japanese attacked Corregidor and on May 6, in the interest of minimising casualties, Wainwright surrendered. By June 9, Allied forces had completely surrendered.

Related Topics:
Australia - South West Pacific Area - April 9 - Lieutenant General - May 5 - Corregidor - May 6 - June 9

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Wainwright was then held in prison camps in northern Luzon, Formosa, and Manchuria until his liberation by Russian troops in August 1945. He was the highest-ranking American POW, and despite his rank, his treatment at the hands of the Japanese was not pleasant. After witnessing the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri (BB-63) on September 2, he returned to the Philippines to receive the surrender of the local Japanese commander.

Related Topics:
Luzon - Formosa - Manchuria - Russia - 1945 - USS ''Missouri'' - September 2

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He was later awarded the Medal of Honor. Wainwright won the respect of all who were imprisoned with him. His men often dubbed him a "fighting" general who was willing to get down in the foxholes. Wainwright agonized over his decision to surrender Bataan all during his captivity. He felt he had let his country down. Upon release, the first question he asked was "How am I thought of back in the states?" He was amazed when told he was considered a hero. During Wainwright's imprisonment, General MacArthur angrily wrote a memorandum saying Wainwright should be denied the Medal of Honor. He forwarded this to Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. He derided Wainwright's leadership abilities and implied he was both a coward and an alcoholic. Many had criticized this memorandum as slanderous and cruel. Ironically, MacArthur was widely scorned for leaving the Philippines and many felt his Medal of Honor was a publicity stunt because, unlike General Wainwright, he was never anywhere near the front lines. Even after General Wainwright learned of MacArthur's comments, he still remained friends with the man and even supported him in his Presidential bid in 1952.

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His Medal of Honor citation reads:

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: Distinguished himself by intrepid and determined leadership against greatly superior enemy forces. At the repeated risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in his position, he frequented the firing line of his troops where his presence provided the example and incentive that helped make the gallant efforts of these men possible. The final stand on beleaguered Corregidor, for which he was in an important measure personally responsible, commanded the admiration of the Nation's allies. It reflected the high morale of American arms in the face of overwhelming odds. His courage and resolution were a vitally needed inspiration to the then sorely pressed freedom-loving peoples of the world.

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