Arthur MacArthur III was a United States Navy officer, whose active-duty career extended from the Spanish–American War through World War I. He was the elder brother of General Douglas MacArthur.
Background
The son of United States Army General Arthur MacArthur, Junior. (1845–1912), he chose a career in the Navy instead of following his father, graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1896. On August 21, 1902, in Newport, Rhode Island, he married Mary Hendry McCalla (1877–1959), the daughter of Rear Admiral Bowman H. McCalla.
Career
During the Spanish–American War, Ensign MacArthur served aboard the steam yacht United States Ship Vixen (PY-4) in the Battle of Santiago. He later participated in naval operations during the Philippine–American War and the Boxer Rebellion. From 1901 to 1903, MacArthur commanded the torpedo boat Winslow.
While in this capacity, he was involved in early submarine boat testing.
While also commanding the United States Ship Holland, he participated in Electric Boat"s testing using their prototype Fulton, as a testbed for the Plunger-class submarines. In November 1901, he was aboard the Fulton when it set an underwater endurance record of 15 hours on the bottom of Peconic Bay, New New York
Later, he was injured when, on a run from New Suffolk, New York to Washington, District of Columbia to exhibit the submarine to naval committees of the House and Senate, the Fulton experienced a battery explosion off the Delaware Breakwater. By June 1903, he was at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in command of the submarine flotilla consisting of the Pike and Grampus.
He was transferred to the battleship Ohio prior to her commissioning in October 1904, making him a plank owner, and served aboard her until September 1906, when he was transferred to the United States Naval Academy.
At the Naval Academy, he served initially as aide to the Superintendent, Admiral James H. Sands and subsequently on the staff for the Commandant of Midshipman. His other commands included destroyer United States Ship McCall (Doctor of Divinity-28), minelayer United States Ship San Francisco (Master in Surgery-2), armored cruiser United States Ship South Dakota ( Adaptive Combat Rifle-9) and light cruiser United States Ship Chattanooga (CL-18). He was promoted to captain on January 1, 1921.
Captain MacArthur died in Washington, District of Columbia
Midshipman, United States Naval Academy – 6 September 1892
Ensign – 6 May 1898
Lieutenant (junior grade) – 6 May 1901
Lieutenant – 3 March 1903
Lieutenant Commander – 25 February 1909
Commander – 17 August 1915
Captain – 1 January 1921.
Membership
MacArthur was a hereditary member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States by right of his father"s having served as a Union officer in the Civil War.