On January 26, 1880, Douglas MacArthur was born in the Arsenal Building while his father was stationed at the Little Rock Barracks.  Though he left Arkansas a few weeks later when his father was transferred, he returned to his birthplace on March 23, 1952. On that day he was greeted by crowds welcoming one of the USA’s most famous military figures.

On January 26, 2013, the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History will celebrate the five-star General’s 133rd birthday with a special program by Dr. Paul Fair.  Dr. Fair was the only Arkansan among the original members of the General MacArthur Honor Guard.  He is now one of the Honor Guards’ few surviving members.  He will share his reminiscences of guarding the MacArthur family in the Philippines and Japan.

There will be refreshments and birthday cake. This event begins at 12:00 noon, with Dr. Fair to speak at 1:00 p.m.

The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History was created to interpret our state’s military heritage from its territorial period to the present.

Located in the historic Tower Building of the Little Rock Arsenal–the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur–the museum preserves the contributions of Arkansas men and women who served in the armed forces.

Exhibits feature artifacts, photographs, weapons, documents, uniforms and other military items that vividly portray Arkansas’s military history at home and abroad.