Regular readers of this column will note that I like departmentalizing my topics, such as Lost Treasures, Ghosts of Avalon, Wartime Mysteries, etc.
It’s probably the German in me that likes to see things nicely categorized and it sort of provides a control mechanism to keep me from drifting too far from the intended subject.
Regular readers of this column will note that I like departmentalizing my topics, such as Lost Treasures, Ghosts of Avalon, Wartime Mysteries, etc.
It’s probably the German in me that likes to see things nicely categorized and it sort of provides a control mechanism to keep me from drifting too far from the intended subject.
One of the ideas I’ve long had for a new category—or thread—for this column is “In the Presence of Greatness,” or stories of great people and things and their connection, however tenuous, with Catalina Island or the people who live here.
Catalina’s history is, of course, loaded with the potential for such tales. Many a movie star or other well-known celebrity has visited the Island. Marilyn Monroe, for example, even lived here for a while during World War II (before she was known as “Marilyn”), but I’m sure there are many other Island tales out there where Catalina somehow has managed to get into the stream of history.
The perfect column with which to start off this new category is one I’ve had in the works for a while and the recent release of the blockbuster film “Emperor,” a semi-fictional account of the post-war occupation of Japan, starring Tommy Lee Jones as General Douglas MacArthur, gave me the perfect opportunity.
You see, it just so happens that local Islander “Surfer Bob” Humphries has an interesting family connection to General MacArthur: Bob’s father, Daniel Humphries, acted as MacArthur’s staff driver in post-war Japan, right around the time frame covered by the film.
Rather than simply pick a “generic” driver, the studio went to the trouble of actually representing Bob’s dad in the form of an actor by the name of Gareth Ruck. The two bear a remarkable resemblance to one another—in other words, the studio did its homework.
It was in 1947 that then-Staff Sargent Daniel K. Humphries was chosen from among a dizzying number of candidates for the job of driving for MacArthur, launching him on a unique seven-year career.
“He’d talk about MacArthur,” said son Bob of his dad, who along with his sister Patti in Texas loaned me a treasure trove of photographs and old newspaper clippings about their father.
“He’d talk about how crowded it would get when he was walking around all the Japanese people,” said Bob. “They liked him (MacArthur), I guess that was the reason.”
The senior Humphries was no stranger to the military. He had already served seven years in the Marine Corps (lying about his age to get in) before enlisting in the Army.
For the next few years after getting the MacArthur stint, Humphries lived at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, driving the general around where he was needed, especially the one-mile stretch from the Embassy to his offices at the Dai Ichi building.
Bob related perhaps the most embarrassing moment as told by his father. One day, while driving the general to work, a pedestrian darted in front of the staff car. Sgt. Humphries slammed on the breaks, sparing the pedestrian any injuries, but the general was thrown to the floorboards.
No doubt expecting a rebuke, Humphries breathed a sigh of relief when the general simply got back up and sat back in his seat, apparently unfazed. Humphries was to say later of the incident, “It didn’t seem to bother him (MacArthur), but it sure embarrassed me.”
One fateful day, the shocking news came that President Truman had essentially fired MacArthur, but—just as when he was thrown to the floorboards of the staff car—the general seemed to take it in stride. The news of his new employment status came at 3:00 in the afternoon, recalled Humphries in a 1964 interview, “but MacArthur completed his regular work day.”
Humphries continued to work for MacArthur for the next few years in New York, remaining his driver. The five-star license plate on the staff car was simply replaced by New York plates and business went on as usual.
In 1952, the senior Humphries retired as MacArthur’s driver at the rank of Master Sergeant. The two families continued to correspond with each other, including Christmas cards, for many years.
Daniel K. Humphries passed away on May 16, 2003, at the age of 82.
Before I let you go, I want to tell you of an interesting little coincidence (if you believe in such things) to this story.
While doing research for this column, I happened to also be converting some old home movies to DVD for one of my dad’s friends. The father of this friend of my dad’s happened to be a member of a Pan Am flight crew back in the late 1940s and had filmed copious amounts of 8mm home movie footage during his world travels.
These travels of his included the South Pacific, Hong Kong, Bangkok and several other locales, including Japan. At one point during the Japan segment, there is a clip of what appears to be military headquarters of some sort with a number of American GIs guarding the entrance.
On the sidewalk outside of this building are dozens of Japanese citizens waiting and waiting for something or someone.
Sure enough, after a short time, out comes General MacArthur flanked by an entourage of protectors. The Japanese people lining his path bow profusely and the general heads straight to his staff car where he is driven away by—you guessed it—Bob Humphries’ dad behind the wheel.
Jim Watson is the author of “Mysterious Island: Catalina,” available on Amazon, Kindle and in stores all over Avalon.
