Why do you believe MacArthur was no more courageous or competent than JFK at the helm of PT-109?
I don’t and I was referring to the making of a myth but since you bring it up his exploits on PT109 have been disputed quite a bit over the years. At best, he inappropriately put his boat in danger through incompetence and should have been courts martialed except for his political ties. He was put into that position after he created an espionage issue by way of his skirt chasing.
MacArthur didn’t plan any operation, ever. He “approved” the operations that were put together by more competent subordinates and passed the blame on to subordinates when something failed. He refused to consider the pleas of the Naval brass that the invasion of minor islands like Peleliu would be disasterous and unneeded and he ignored those who told him that an overland/through the cities invasion of the Phillipines would also be a disaster. His shameful actions in trying to have Wainwright courts martialed for not following his orders to lead he and his men in a fight to the last man is especially indicative of his self-absorbed incompetence. He continually disparaged Eisenhower as SACEUR because he could not stand the idea that the man who had been assigned as one of his aides as a Major just a few years prior had reached a position higher than his.
MacArthur was a huge steaming piece of mythology as was JFK.
Kennedy just had one major screw up. MacArthur had at least three major league screwups.