If You're MacArthur, You Can Smoke Topside

October 19, 1944. Evening. On U.S. destroyer with invasion fleet en route to Leyte Gulf, Philippines. Destroyer taking fuel along starboard side of USS Nashville. This puts port bridge wing of destroyer even with 02 deck of Nashville and maybe 25 feet away.

Older man (through 19-year-old enlisted eyes) in khaki steps out on Nashville 02 deck and lights his pipe. I almost jump out of my socks. Did this old geezer realize that, if someone caught him smoking topside, he could end up in a Marine brig for life?

As I sucked in air to shout a warning, someone behind me said, “Goddamn! That’s General MacArthur! Lookouts! Clear the port wing of the bridge!!” Navy talk for "Get your keister out of here!"

Guess nobody caught him. Next day, he walked ashore at Leyte.