“Infinitely Prouder to be a Father”: General Douglas MacArthur on Father’s Day

General Douglas MacArthur gave us many memorable quotes over the years: “I shall return,” “old soldiers never die,” “no substitute for victory,” the “Duty, Honor, Country” speech. This quote of his seemed particularly apt for Fathers Day.

By profession I am a soldier and take pride in that fact. But I am prouder — infinitely prouder — to be a father.  

A soldier destroys in order to build; the father only builds, never destroys. The one has the potentiality of death; the other embodies creation and life.

And while the hordes of death are mighty, the battalions of life are mightier still. It is my hope that my son, when I am gone, will remember me not from the battle field but in the home…“

Happy Fathers Day, everyone.

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This first appeared in The Havok Journal on June 19, 2016.

Originally from Alabama, Charles (Charlie) Faint seven tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq and over the course of his career was assigned to units including the 101st Airborne Division, the 2nd Infantry Division, the 5th Special Forces Group, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, and the Joint Special Operations Command. He also served as an instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point for five years and was the head of West Point’s “Officership” capstone program for two of those years. His views expressed here are his own and are not necessarily reflective of the policy of the US Army or the United States Government.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.